Identity in Christ - 33 (In Christ)

This is probably the most fundamental identity trait. If we were going through them in a logical order, instead of a quasi-alphabetic one, this should be the first. It is activated in a person’s life first, then all the others can be and will be activated.

Jesus was starting to prepare his disciples for the time when he must leave them. There are three thins he tells them as part of this preparation.

• If we love Jesus, we obey him.

If we have entered into relationship with Jesus, given him our allegiance, entrusted him with our world, we obey his commands. Obedience means we agree with him. Obedience is congruent with our design. Obedience means we will live as God intended us to live.

If he is not there to give us direction, it will not matter. We will still have what he told us. And its essence does not change. Its practice may need to be tweaked, because of cultural or historic changes. Giving is one of Jesus’ commands. The Twelve had this command. We have this command. However, the Twelve did not have the option of using a credit card.

• Another Helper

Of course, a guide and companion is way different than a written set of instructions. People still get lost because they don’t understand or remember the directions.

“Turn left at the big oak tree. Which oak did he mean? This one? Or that one?”

Certainly, our Father knew this. So, he made provision for this. Jesus can’t be here, with each of us, so the Father sends someone who can. He sends the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts. The spirit guides each one, teaches each one, and give 100% of his attention to each one. And his input is !00% individually tailored to meet our individual needs, passions and destiny.

• A Radical Identification with Christ

The last thing he tells the disciples about is “Radical Identification.” After the resurrection, they understand that Jesus has a place in the God-head, they have a place in him and he has a place in then.

“He has a place in the God-head.” God is a bit more complicated than everyone thinks. Everyone imagines this all-powerful being usually in the form of a man. Well, the Father is God, Jesus is God, and the Holy Spirit is God.

“He has a place in them.” This is another reference to “Another Helper.” As Jesus and the Holy Spirit both have places in the God-head, they have the same heart, the same focus, the same goals, priorities and values. Father, Son and Spirit are completely united in all things. To have the Spirit is just like having Jesus.

“We have a place in him.” This is the crux of being in Christ. The root of our new identity is a direct result of have a place in Christ.

1. We are placed in Christ. Therefore, everything that happens to him, happens  to us.
2. He was punished for sin. Our sin was punished.
3. He died to the law. We died to the law.
4. He was buried. He rose. We were buried and rose with him.
5. He was seated at the Father’s right hand. We were seated.

We are place in Jesus, so he might be our substitute.

• God’s Perspective

When god looks at us, he sees us through Jesus-colored glasses. He sees us. He sees our failures. He sees our lacks. But he sees them in light of how Jesus affected our lives.

If we have given our allegiance to Jesus, he see that Jesus’ sacrifice has:

1. Given us right standing with the Father.
2. Declared God’s righteous judgment against our sin as satisfied.
3. Brought us into his family.
4. De-fanged the law in our case.
5. Put us on the path of restoration.
6. Allowed the Spirit to reside in our hearts.
7. Changed our spiritual DNA so that all these identities are ours.

And because the Father sees us this way, he treats us this way. He does not think of us in terms of punishing our sins. They have already been punished. They have been nailed to the cross … past, present and future.

As I have pointed out before, he is very seriously concerned with how we live. He is looking to restore the image of Christ in us. He intends to restore us to live out our original design. God’s aim is not punishing sin in his children, but reclaiming his family and restoring his children.

This does not mean that God will ignore sin. It means his heart focus is on this restoration project.

Being in Christ means being immersed in the environment God has created for this restoration. It means being a recipient of God’s attention. It means being a willing participant of God’s plan and process, because we chose to follow God and his ways.

• Living Our Lives

If God sees me with Christ-colored glasses, I need to see myself with Christ-colored glasses. If God treats me as though all these identities are true, then I need to treat me as though all these identities are true.

If I have given my allegiance to Jesus, if I have entrusted my world to Jesus, God puts me into Christ. All these identities come true for me, when I am in Christ.

 

First, if I don't see these as my identities, I am calling something false, that God says is true.

 

Second, I am not going to live the way God wants me to live.

 

Most basic to living as God has designed us to live is the acceptance of certain "facts:"

1. There is a God.
2. This God has a particular character, which gives him particular goals, motivations, values and priorities.
3. God created and designed people. Meaning he has particular motivations, attitudes and actions for them, that result in optimal living.
4. People sinned. Sin broke the system God created.
5. God has a plan to restore the system and the relationships that sin broke.
6. God put his plan into action

And that's where we are today ... in the middle of God's plan.

 

Many people in God's family have a hard time believing what God says is true, because of experiences they have had, or things they have been taught.

 

For example, our concept of what fatherhood means is caught. We had experiences with our fathers. So, the way our father interacted with us, and treated us, is the way all fathers are. Including our heavenly Father.

 

If our father is aloof and uncommunicative, then God is aloof and uncommunicative. If our father is critical, demeaning and abusive, the God is critical, demeaning and abusive. No matter how often the church tells us "God is love," the image that we caught of our father growing up, is always super-imposed over the image of our heavenly Father. Or we see the Father through father-colored glasses.

 

Fortunately for us, this too is part of God's restoration project. God does want honesty, and wants us to see our fathers truly. But he also wants us to see and know our Father truly, and to distinguish our Father from our father. They are different people. The see us differently and treat us differently.

 

And there seems to be a correlation in Scripture between seeing  and being. We cannot live the way God wants us to live, unless we see what that is. Unless we see that it is possible. We cannot love, unless we see what love is. (For many people, love = sex. And that is far from the truth.) We cannot focus our hearts on the Father, unless we see who he truly is. We cannot become who God wants, and who he designed us to be, unless we see who that is. We cannot be who God designed us to be, if we are unsure in our relationship and our identity with the Father. Our hearts will be given to trying to satisfy God with who we were, when he is already satisfied. We will have no time or energy to enjoy, grow in or express the relationship we have with him.

Identity in Christ - 32 (Interceded for)

Scripture says that God is for us. This means that we already have victory, because no one is able to stand against us. God's gift to us was the life, the death, and the life again of Jesus. God's giving was so complete, that anything else, everything else, that we need is a minor thing.

No one can accuse us.

• God gave us right standing with him. (Past tense)

No one can condemn us.

• Christ died for us. (Past tense)
• Christ rose for us. (Past tense)
• Christ intercedes for us. (Present tense)

He dealt with our sin, so he might establish a secure relationship. All sin -- past present and future -- is dealt with in this process. If everything you have done, everything you are doing, and everything you will do is covered by this action, logically, there is now nothing you can do that will break your relationship with God.

• The bad thing you did 20 year ago -- covered.
• The bad thoughts you are having now -- covered.
• The bad thing you will do 20 years from now -- covered.

Let's remember. The Father is very concerned about how we live. His goal is to reclaim a family for himself, that lives and is being restored to their original design. Our conduct and lifestyles affects that goal. It does not appear to affect our current relationship.

 

And the relationship is very important to the Father too. And to Jesus. Jesus stands before the throne, at the Father's right hand, and pleads with the Father to act on our behalf.

That's what "interceded" means. To approach with a petition. And what petition is Jesus presenting to the Father?

• Resources -- "Father, please pour out on John the grace he needs to stand in this area."
• Assistance -- "Father, please communicate your love and support to John, give him strength to stand."
• Defense -- "Father, I know John sinned here. But this sin is covered by my blood on the cross. We have promised to forgive all such sin."

(Since, the Father has promised to wipe out and not remember our sins, his usual response to Jesus' defense is "huh?")

• God's Perspective

Do you realize that Jesus is a nag on our behalf. ("John. John. John. John.") And that doesn't count all the Paul's, the Mary's, the Bob's, the Rob's and everybody else.

God's goal is reclaiming a family for himself, and restoring them to their original design. The Father, the Son and the Spirit are focused, intent and driven toward these goals.

 

Everyone who gives allegiance to Jesus, becomes his child. Everyone who becomes his child gets put into his family. Everyone in his family gets included into his goal, and his resolve for restoration.

 

He has given his Word, his Spirit, his presence, his grace, his promise and his moment-by-moment attention to accomplish this.

• Living My Life

i would say that considering the time, the attention and the resources poured into each of us, this is really important to God. Which means each of us really important to God.

1. He died on the cross to redeem us.
2. He focuses time, attention and resources to restore us.
3. He speaks to us continually to encourage, to instruct and to enable us.

This speaks to God's commitment on our behalf. This speaks to God's heart focus on us.

 

If God is this sold-out on me, it should motivate me to persevere. We all fail. We will all continue to fail. But God will not give up on us. The enemy's foremost heart's desire is that we give up.

 

God's heart is that we learn, grow and partner with him in demonstrating to the world what it means to live as his child and in his family. Which means reflecting his character. Which means acting like he acts.

Interceding on behalf of others. Not giving up on anyone. Not letting failure stop us. Speaking to encourage, to instruct and to enable. Imparting to others the same identity he has given to us. 

God's Invitation

I am reading a book where the author is trying to give guidance for people to find their destiny in God. A very complex subject as you can imagine. There is a destiny for each person living, had lived or will live.

 

Such books usually consider what the Bible terms “a call.” A call is God’s invitation. We are called to relationship with him. We are called to follow him. We are called to a destiny in him – a purpose for our lives and existence. Because he is eternally present, immanent, with each of us, he is able to craft a personal destiny for each of us. He is able to offer a personal destiny for each of us.

 

The Bible describes some calls for some people. These are often dramatic, like Moses and the burning bush, or Paul on the road to Damascus. The author wrote that these types of calls had ceased. And I wish to take issue with this a bit.

 

He offered no reasons, no scripture. So, how can he make this type of unequivocal assumption? I will admit that a dramatic call like this is very unusual. Rare even. There were around 2 million Israelites at the time of Moses. God certainly gave in invitation to walk with him, to carry out their roles in his mission and purpose, to each Israelite. However, only Moses got this type of call.

 

Why would God give such a dramatic invitation? In the case of both Paul and Moses, their hearts were strongly focused in a direction away from their destiny. To get them moving in the correct direction would require a radical change of heart. Their roles in God’s mission was also strategic. So, God communicated in a radical way to elicit a radical response. 

 

God’s preference is to speak softly. Sometimes, in order to be heard, he needs to change methods. There is a story about a pastor (Presbyterian, a group not known to promote supernatural experience) who heard God speak to him in an audible voice. God was giving him instructions to take a certain course of action, that he had decided not to take.

 

 God is able to make himself heard. He is looking for available, alert people, who have soft hearts, and are open and ready to change, if necessary. Especially when it involves his invitation to walk with him, and the path, the work and the effect it entails.

 

Identity in Christ - 31 (Hidden in Christ)

We have come to believe that what Jesus told us. We have chosen to follow him, to give him our allegiance. As such, we have taken on a brand new set of goals, passions, values and priorities.

 

We need to embrace these new things, because we are now separated from the old things. And we are hidden in Christ. God has taken us from the old, and inserted us in the new.

 

“Hidden” in the original language means “hidden by covering.” People can’t see something, because something is thrown over the top of it … like a blanket, or a box. In this case, the “blanket” is Jesus.

• God’s Perspective

Hidden means to be put out of sight. Often, the connotation involves putting something in a safe place. Often, the connotation involves putting something valuable in a secure place.

 

Being hidden by God does not demonstrate our value to him. God demonstrates our value by the large price he paid to ransom us.

 

(NOTE: It is not a price he was willing to pay. Jesus died on the cross. God has already paid the price. People may not have taken advantage of God’s provision. Still, the price has been paid, and it is available for to go and collect it.)

 

But being hidden does show God’s concern with protecting his investment. Jesus was the ultimate “Undercover Boss.” “Undercover Boss” is a TV program. The CEO of a company becomes a worker in various parts of the company, in disguise, to find out what working for the company is really like. (With a camera following him around. Takes some clever storytelling to get the other employees to ignore the camera. Just part of a normal day.) Usually, this unannounced inspection results in changes to the company that make life better for everyone in the company.

 

Jesus already knew what life was like. Still, he came. He modelled what a human being should like, if that human being lived as designed. And he provided a solution for our problem of sin. He did make life better.

 

And he positioned us for maximum protection. When God looks at us, he does not see our failures or deficiencies. He sees Jesus, and our position, our identity, in him.

 

God does see the areas of lack in our lives, in order to fill them. His goal is the restoration of his image in us. What I have been calling our original design. His goal is not the punishment of our imperfections. Jesus already dealt with our imperfections. Jesus dealt with our failures. The Spirit resides in our hearts, we are hidden in Christ, to insure that the price only needs to be paid once.

• Living My Life

Some people think that this type of security gives people a free pass. We give out allegiance to Jesus, he gives us his justification, and we can do anything we like.

 

Scripture says when we give our allegiance to Jesus, we died to this life. That’s why the writer urges us to embrace the new life. The old one is gone.

 

I think one reason God gives us this type of assurance, he wants us to move away from ourselves, and focus our hearts outward. We are called to focus our hearts towards God, in worship and prayer. We are called to focus our hearts toward god’s Word, in reading, study, meditation and obedience. We are called to focus our hearts toward other people, in love, service and proclamation of the gospel.

 

If our hearts are focused on fulfilling our personal desires, or focused on our standing with God, we have not released ourselves to live out our design, in which love, joy and peace play a large part. I am not saying we need to avoid all self-focus. Some is healthy. Too much is not. And Scripture gives instruction in a correct balance. And recognizing our position in Christ – hidden and secure -- leads toward that balance.

Identity in Christ - 30b (Holy)

Let’s pretend that I am right. Being Holy is not just following the rules. It is rather thinking, speaking and acting in ways that are distinct from the world. And this distinction is a magnet towards the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and relationship with them.

 

What does holiness look like? The simple answer … it looks like Jesus.

 

If people lived the way they were designed to live, what would they look like? The simple answer … they would look like Jesus.

 

People were designed and created to be holy. Scripture was written to show people how to have relationship with God, how to have relationship with other people, and how to live in holiness. So, being holy, God’s family would follow the rules. But Obedience would not be forced externally. It would flow naturally from the heart.

 

We will never be perfect in this life. There are areas we will fail in time and time again. There are areas we may never resolve … in this life.

 

This does not mean we should give up. This does not mean we should not be upset at our failure. God hates sin. Being upset demonstrates that we are like God. In being upset, we agree with God that sin is bad.

 

God will not give up us. It is he who works in our hearts to heal those fallen areas. Final resolution in any area is a heart upgrade by God, by the spirit.

 

When we fail, we don’t act like nothing has happened. And we do not merely resolve to try harder. Final resolution in any area is a heart upgrade by God, by the spirit.

 

Identity in Christ - 30 (Holy)

Many people commonly define “holy” as “being righteous” or “being good.” But the idea associated with the word in the original language goes more along the lines of “set apart.” Kind of like when you put the good china in a separate place, away from the everyday stuff.
 

The Greeks used the word to mean “dedicated to the gods.” There is a connotation of “like the Lord, because unlike the world.”

 

God is holy, because he is totally unlike any other. He is infinite. He is the only one who thinks, speaks and acts 100% totally true to his nature. God has revealed his nature to us. We can always count on the fact that he will faithfully act as he has revealed himself. In that sense, he is totally predictable.

 

But, we don’t always know how God will work. That is not predictable by people. God always knows. People assume that when they have the ability to predict, it gives them some sort of control. And control usually results in the opposite of humility. God always acts in love. God always acts in righteousness. God always acts in ways that require us to pursue trust and relationship with him. So, sometimes surprise is healthy for us. Surprise can lead to wonder, awe and worship. 

 

Yes, God does reveal his intentions. He gives us instructions so that we can know him better. He gives us instructions that enable us to partner with him in establishing his kingdom, to growing as designed, to teach us his nature and how he defines the proper running of our relationship. But God reveals his plans in ways that empower these things, and weakens the tendencies people have of moving away from him and their design. 

 

People are holy, because they have chosen to accept God’s invitation to relationship. In giving allegiance to him, we dedicate ourselves to him.

 

● God's Perspective

 

There does seem to be a lot of debate about how God views his children. Who does God approve of? What does God approve of?

 

People who are "good?" People who keep the rules?  God does give standards for us to follow. Christian groups also give rules. Usually the group meets a situation in society, that does break one of God's commands. They agree together to not engage in this activity, to draw a distinction between themselves and society. This might be a very good thing . Especially if it opens up conversation between people, and draws them into relationship with God. Unfortunately, the rule often gets set in concrete, and stays forever. 

At one time, dancing took place in settings of dubious morals. So, Christians agreed not to participate. But there is a passage of Scripture that encourages dancing as worship. So, is dancing per se wrong? Or dancing in certain situations. What if, during a worship meeting,  a couple got up and did the jitterbug as an act of worship? In some places, many people would be offended. 

 

But what about God? If dancing the jitterbug was truly an act of worship, I think God would be pleased. If there hearts were not in the right place (showing off? protesting?) I think God would be grieved.

If holiness is drawing distinctions to show God's presence to the world, then God does not just look at actions, but attitudes and the heart.

● Living My Life

 

Holiness is living in distinction to the world, so that people are drawn to God's presence, God's nature and character, and ultimately,  relationship with God. Holiness is more than being good. Scripture says that love draws people to God.  Scripture says unity draws people to God. So, how God's family treats those in the "immediate family", in the "extended family", and those "outside the family" matters.

Many Christians conclude that having a high moral code matters. I will not dispute this. Yet, as we just asked, is dancing per se wrong? The Jewish leaders of Jesus' day had a high moral code. They had God's Word. One group, in order to ensure they obeyed God's Word, created over 600 regulations. In God's Word, God said that one day a week should be set aside for celebrating our relationship with him. So, no one should work that day. Some of these 600 regulations were intended to refine what work entailed. How far could a person walk before he was working? So, if you hiked up to the top of a peak, brought your lunch,  and your Bible, to pray and meditate, overlooking the valley,  maybe interceding for a village below, is God displeased because you broke a sweat on his day? 

Morals are important. Love is moral. Unity is moral. Stealing and lying are against good morals. And, yes, people seek to be released from morals, so they can feed their baser appetites. And, yes, maybe God's people should make declarations against those things. 

I consider our focus, intention s and actions should concern things that lead to a relationship with God. Jesus did not seem to focus on getting the wicked people to keep the rules. He knew that righteousness would come after relationship with Father. He focused on prayer to break through to people's hearts., love and service, and enhancing his family's relationship with him.

There is not one perfect to-do list that covers that. Unfortunately,  each one of us needs to develop their own to-do list.

Identity in Christ - 29 (heirs of God; joint-heirs with Christ)

I am actually doing two identities. I was meditating on the first, making little progress in understanding it, when I remembered the second,  further down the list. Since, they both dealt with our inheritance, I included it with the first, thinking they should complement and amplify each other.

Understanding the "what" is actually fairly easy. We were separated from God, because of sin. In Christ, and with our allegiance, God adopted us into his family. We are his children.

In the natural world, when the father dies, the children receive part of the father's estate. Whatever the father had, that was valuable, was given to the children.

In the spiritual world,  our heavenly Father is not going to die. But, as his children, we still become his heirs. Jesus is, of course,  the first-born son. Traditionally, when the father dies, the first-born son becomes the leader of the family. So, Jesus becomes the leader of the family. But he is a son, so he is an heir. And we are heirs also.

So far, so good. But how does this change the way God views us or deals with us? How does this change the way we are intended to live?

● God's Perspective

When God declares his adopted children as his heirs, this is a further indication of God's acceptance and commitment to us as a father.  We are not just taken into the family and provided for. We are given equal status with the "natural" children.

A king could bring orphan children into his home. He could feed, clothe, educate and shelter them. That would be tremendously generous. But he could carve out parts of his kingdom. He could given them royal titles. (Count Johnny of Baltimore. Duchess Jenny of Philadelphia.) He could give them important positions in his kingdom. These would be unexpected steps, but would definitely demonstrate how highly the king values these orphans.

The word translated into English as "inheritance" in the original language means "possession," or, in verb form, "to come into possession." Scripture says we are heirs of God's kingdom and God's glory. God is giving to us, as our possession,  both kingdom and glory. Of course, we do not have ultimate authority in these things, because Jesus is the first-born.

I am still unsure how this works out practically.  Is this shown somehow after God's kingdom is fully established?  Are there supernatural resources at our command now?

● Living My Life

I have already sat that I do not see any practical outworking, except one. It is to me a further indication of how sold out God is for us, about us. He is putting all his resources into our possession.

We do need to remember our position in line. Jesus is the first in line. He has first dibs. But our hearts ought to be Jesus' heart. We should want the same things. We should aim to achieve the same things. Some goals. Same values. Same priorities.

There are some Christian theologies that seem to suggest that if you are walking with God and have sufficient faith, you will have a 20-room mansion and a Bentley. However, Jesus -- who walked closest with God, and who did have faith that moved mountains -- had no place to lay his head. He was despised, betrayed and died a criminal's death.

Jesus, God who became man, first-born, ruler of the kingdom,  had a totally different heart about possessions, lifestyle, and purpose in the world. He came as a servant.  He enabled people to get into a new and right relationship with God. He enabled people to return to living as they were designed.  And we need to have Jesus' heart, no matter what place or status we have in life.

Faith into Joy

There is a passage of Scripture that describes Abraham as the archetype of faith. Abraham is the pattern we all follow. He trusted God; God gave him a right relationship, a right position, approval and a new identity, because of his faith. We all follow that pattern.

The passage continues. Faith brings us into joy. First, we have joy because of our right relationship. We are back where we should be. We have peace with god. We have confidence in our relationship with him. Somehow, we will share his glory. Our position and relationship with God should fill us with joy.

We should also have joy in our experience. Even in the midst of negativity. Having joy when everything is going good is easy. When things are going bad, it is a different story. But the writer wants to correct our view of negativity.

The view of negativity then (and it is still a common view today) is that bad things are punishment by God. This passage refutes this view, at least for God';s children. The view presented in this passage of the Bible is:

• This present existence is short and temporary. Our hearts should not be given to the temporary. Our hearts should be given to the permanent.
• God uses the temporary to prepare us for the permanent. When we obey God, in the midst of negativity, We learn to persevere. And perseverance is one of the character traits of God. So, living rightly in the midst of negativity leads to transformation.
• The primary reason we experience joy in the midst of negativity is that God loves us. And to demonstrate that fact, going beyond, but including the cross, he has given us his Spirit to dwell with all who give him allegiance. He chooses to walk with us in each step, each phase and each experience. He chooses to give close, personal attention to our training, transformation and resourcing. He chooses to give life to what is dead. He chooses to raise up what is failing in our lives.

If there is negativity in our lives, consider how God wants us to think, speak and act, and give you heart toward living that way, because God is in the midst of a systems upgrade.

Identity in Christ - 28 (Glorified in Christ)

I have always associated this identity trait as a part of dying with Christ. (Crucified, died, buried, raised and glorified.) And maybe it still is. But the passage I have associates it with a different string. (Foreknown, chosen to be like Jesus, invited, given right sanding and glorified.)

The two strings intersect at Jesus, of course. God has chosen to allow us to share Christ's glory, when he put Jesus on the cross for us. He has identified Christ with us so completely, that it was just like we were on the cross with him.

And God has identified us with Christ, because we voluntarily chosen to follow him. He has placed us in him, and him in us. We have become a part of his body. His Spirit dwells in our hearts.

This is not to say we are Jesus. He still has a name above all names. We are riding along on his coattails. Yet, somehow we experience his glory with him. Like the joy that friends of the bride and groom feel at the wedding? Maybe. And maybe somehow different.

• God's Perspective

God had a plan. He made a world. He made people. He put people into a family. All of these, he designed and crafted as a master artist. He intended that all of these would move and exist in perfect love, joy and peace.

This world would show who he was, what he was like. The people would show who he was, and what he was like. There would be a continuous celebration of life, of God and of his goodness and love.

Of course, it didn't work out that way. The first people sinned, and it brought corruption into the world. It might seem that God's plan failed. But the plan is still the same:

1. Create a world and people.
2. Create a family.
3. Create relationships with those people.
4. Demonstrate his nature and character.

Now the family participates in his glory by living in a agreement with God, demonstrating his nature and character through their lives and persuading others to join the family.Persuasion by a clear communication of his message, and living as close to our original design as possible ... individually and as a family.

• Living My Life

One way I can experience God's glory is by promoting, participating in and fostering God's plan.

Generally, this means

• Growing in my relationship with the Father.
• Growing my character to become more as it was originally designed.
• Contributing toward the growth of relationship and character in my and God's family.
• Contributing toward extending God's kingdom, both in showing God's character (love, service, giving grace and displaying truth) and proclaiming his message.

Specifically, it could mean a number of different things for each person. There are so many ways people have developed for reading, meditating and praying, there is not enough time to go into them all. There are also many different ways to get involved in God's mission. God has designed people generally. God has designed people specifically. We each need to work out our own ways to complete the four general ways I listed above.

As we walk in each area, we demonstrate God's nature, we work in partnership with him, and -- in success or failure -- we show his glory.

Identity in Christ - 27 (Forgiven)

We are forgiven. In the original language, the word means “to release.” Before Jesus died, before we gave him our allegiance, God held onto our sins. They were counted. They were weighed. They were assessed. They were evaluated. God knew more about our sins than we did.

 

Then, Jesus died. Punishment for all sins fell on him. And then, we gave him our allegiance.

 

We had lived in the kingdom of the enemy. We lived for his interests. Jesus sent a rescue mission. He delivered us from the enemy’s kingdom. He gave us membership in his kingdom and family. And – the point of this post – he released us from our sins.

 

When I think about releasing, I get this mental picture of an event – the Super Bowl, the Olympics, the World Cup final – where organizers have thousands of doves or pigeons in cages at the event. At the right time, all of the cages are opened, the birds are released, and they fly away.

 

Did you ever wonder,  how are they going to get all those birds back into the cages?

 

As far as God is concerned, that’s the point. The birds are never going back into their cages. They are gone. No one will worry about them anymore. No one will feed them. No one will need to clean the cages.

•  God’s Perspective

There is a passage of Scripture where it says the all-knowing, all-seeing God does not remember our sin. Our Father has so released our sin, it is gone from his memory. In his current dealing with us, it is not a factor. He does not deal with us according to our failures. He deals with us according to our lack.

 

God’s sovereignty, holiness and authority gives God the perfect right to punish our sin. Forgiveness means God has released any claims to exercise this right.

•  Living My Life

First, I need to approach God on the basis of this releasing. If I treat my sin as if God has not released it, then I approach God with fear. Maybe I could be punished again. Maybe I am living in disfavor. And I become more focused on how I am living. And my living cannot affect my acceptance by God. I cannot earn forgiveness. I cannot earn right standing. And if God has released my sin, and his right to punish my sin – in Christ, on the cross – then I cannot by my sin get the “pigeons” back in the cage.

 

By no means, does this mean that God takes how I live, how I conduct myself lightly. But he does not approach me through my failures. He approaches me to rebuild me life, my character, to live as I was designed to live.

 

If I am free of fear, I am free to love, to serve, to pray, to act by faith.

 

Second, I need to approach people and their failures as God approaches me. I need to open the “cage doors” and release their sins. I need to release my rights to demand punishment. This does not mean I take their actions lightly. But God does not deal with me with a view toward punishment. Rather he deals with me seeking redemption, transformation and reconciliation. This is what the focus and intent of my heart needs to be.

 

Sometimes God allows the consequences of actions to occur, so people will realize they do not live in agreement with God’s design. So, people will turn from trying to fill their lives with false fuels. We may find ourselves in the same position. It breaks God’s heart to see people like this. It should break our hearts too.

Identity in Christ - 26 (Foreknown)

Or as one version puts it: "knew his people in advance."

One of the logical, philosophical quagmires people can get into is trying to wrap their brains around the fact that the all-powerful, all-knowing God, who hates sin, has given his created beings free choice. He knew before creation who would choose him. He knew before creation who would refuse him. He knew before creation who would totally mess up and who would succeed.

This could start a chain-reaction of unanswerable questions. In order to answer these questions, we would need to read God's mind. And no one but God's Spirit knows what's in God's heart fully. And he lets us know what's on God's heart, but not answers to those types of questions. He tells what he knows to be sufficient for us to trust him, to choose relationship with him, to seek to obey him.

God knew his family in advance. And he chose them, but not just for salvation. He chose them to be like Jesus. (Jesus is now the first-born of a very large family.) He chose them for relationship ... a close relationship.

And if they chose his invitation for relationship, he chose to give them, not only relationship, but right standing. He chose them to become his possession, his nation and his family. He redeemed them and forgave them. There is peace between God and his children. He does not hold their sin against them. He chooses not to remember it.

And, now that his children have right standing, he chooses to share his glory.

• God's Perspective

It is practically impossible to approach this area from God's perspective. God expresses himself pretty thoroughly in most other areas. He is pretty much silent about this. Hence, the unanswerable questions.

We do know:

1. God created the world to be perfect.
2. God designed people. God provided fuels to power their bodies, their minds and their spirits.
3. The main fuel was a relationship with the Father of All. And the Father's love is the main component of the relationship.
4. Man sinned. Sin broke Man's design. People are cut off from their main fuel.
5. God loves people. God hates sin, because it breaks the relationship with people. It breaks his design of the world and people.
6. God knew it all before it would happen ... and he went and did it anyway.

He even went through extraordinary lengths to re-connect with people. He goes through extraordinary lengths to "fix" his design.

 

I certainly am not in a position to explain how all this makes sense. In part, we experience God's choice of re-connection and "fixing." And, in this, we experience God's glory now.

• Living My Life

It is hard to see how this can have any practical impact on living. The only thing I can say about it is God knew me. God knew my heart. God knew my motivations. God knew my successes. God knew my failures, my weaknesses, and the areas I am still failing in, and will continue to fail in. And still:

1. He pursues relationship.
2. He chooses to work with me.
3. He chooses to work through me.
4. He delights in me.
5. He loves me.
6. He includes me in his family.
7. He includes me in his mission and purposes.
8. He has a place for me that gives one purpose, meaning and heart satisfaction.

And I can enter into and experience all this as I trust him, are open to his communication, and seek to follow that communication.

Identity in Christ - 25 (Fellow Citizen)

At one time, God chose to demonstrate his nature, to invite people into relationship with him, through the nation of Israel. Israel was given his revelation, his promises, his mission, his commission as his agents.

The Bible documents how Israel moved to "least favored nation" status with God. Not that God hates them. God loves them as he loves all people and nation. But Israel consistently chose not to follow God.

God gives limits to move people to live in congruence to their design. Israel consistently went beyond those limits. So, God apparently changed his plan, and chose a different "group" to fulfill his mission.

(Some would argue that God was not caught by surprise, and using an international family was his plan all along. Certainly, Jesus was his plan. And Jesus was an Israelite. So, God still used the nation to provide the Messiah.)

• God's Perspective

Israel, like many people groups, had an us/them identification. "Us" was Israel. "Them" was everyone else, or the gentiles. There was a definite separation of the groups in Israel's thinking.

Then, Jesus came. He tore down the walls. He made one people. He created a new family. His family. And everyone in his family had access to his revelation, his promises, his resources, his presence. Everyone in his family had a part in his mission.

More, the Spirit of God used to "come on" his servants. He would empower people to live for him "temporarily". Astounding work and miracles were done. Then nothing. Now, the Spirit dwells with people. There is potential for works all the time. There is a sin-wall that blocks the Spirit from flowing from a person's heart into the world. God's work in the lives of his family to weaken, break down and dissolve that wall. Eventually, there is breakthrough, and God's Spirit flows unchecked into the world.

• Living My Life

The word for "fellow citizen" in the original language means "possessing the same citizenship with others." It is in contrast with two other words: strangers and aliens. "Strangers" refers to "no knowledge, no share." "Aliens" refers to "living in or near, but without rights." So, as citizens, we have knowledge, a share and rights.

We are one of God's people, God's family, God's chosen. We have intimate access. We have the right to request resources, and should expect to receive resources. We can use the "family car." We are the Father's favorite. We have his attention and concern 24 x 7 x 365. Every minute of the day. Any time. Any place. Nothing is too trivial.

No doubt many reading this are concerned that some will spend the riches of God on the mundane, the trivial, or the sinful, even.

Remember, our original design was to be like Jesus. When we gave our allegiance to Jesus, he gives us citizenship, puts us in his family and puts his Spirit in our hearts. And the Spirit works to break down the sin-wall around our hearts. We were designed to be holy. We were designed to love. The Spirit works to unlock our lives to live as we were designed. And sin is not according to spec. Sin goes against our design. Putting the resources of heaven in our hands should be like putting them in Jesus' hands. Sin only brings loss and death. Grace brings love, joy ... and yes, holiness.

Identity in Christ - 24 (Friend of Christ)

Jesus said that even though we are "enslaved" to Christ, we are not slaves. As we mentioned before, everyone gives their heart to someone or something. And we serve whatever we give our hearts to.

We are not treated like slaves. Slaves would never know the heart and intentions of their master, but the Father has revealed his heart to us. He has asked us to call him Father. Slaves would be told what to do. The Father has invited us to be partners in his mission. True friends will be concerned with one another's hearts.

time.

Of course, there are times we do not act like friends. We do not seek our friend's good. We are selfish. We do things that hurt and displease, sometimes purposefully. True friends will make it right and get right. Friendship is too valuable to waste.

• God's Perspective

God says we demonstrate our friendship when we do what he says. This is not some complaining attitude on God's part. This is not a thundering pronouncement of doom and gloom.

God is holy. Everything he does and says is expressed from the foundation of his holiness.

God is love. Everything he does and says is expressed from the foundation of his love.

People want to separate. They love to empathize one over the other. But, God is both. He is motivated by both. He acts on the basis of both at the same time.

God created the world to demonstrate his nature. God created people to expand his family, and have relationship (friendship) with them.

(1) God designed people to live a certain way. Authentic living comes when people live as close as possible to God's design. So, God is motivated to convince as many as possible to live as he designed. So, he communicates that way, drawing our hearts back to him, motivating us to extend allegiance to him, and pointing our hearts to his lifestyle.

Doing what God says gets people more in line with their design. Doing what God says moves people to authentic, abundant living.

When God urges people to obey him, he is urging them to live in ways that more health and happiness.

(2) God is immutable. That means his character does not change. His actions may change. His strategy in solving problems occasionally change. But his motives and his values do not change. His ultimate goal does not change.

God seeks to create a family to share his love with. But God cannot live with sin. So, God acted -- and continues to act -- to remove the barrier of sin. As it is removed, God can establish relationships with people. And as its presence is removed, God can move deeper into these relationships.

(Or perhaps God is already "all in" with his relationships with people. And the presence of sin prevents people from moving closer, or blocks them from experiencing their relationship with God more.)

• Living My Life

If the Father is "all in" with me, it creates an urge, a motivation in me to go "all in" with him. I wonder if what I do currently is sufficient to being a good friend. Usually, I conclude that it is not.

Of course, the set-new-rules, try-harder, failure cycle does nothing to resolve the issue. This cycle only brings self-induced guilt. God doesn't want more guilt. He wants you. He wants us. He wants his children, his family, to be around them. He does want them living in agreement with his word, because there will be no barriers between him and his children. Moreover, his children will be living according to their design.

I read an article recently, concerning an interview with psychologist Julie Gottman. Dr. Gottman was studying what leads to long lasting, healthy relationships. What is the difference between married couples, who get divorced, and those who remained happily married for 30 years. I don't plan to get into an in-depth analysis at this time. But I will mention that Dr. Gottman did some research and concluded that there are two responses that build long-term, happy relationships:

1. Responding positively to any attempt to connect by the other person.
2. Being alert for "things" in the other person's life to appreciate and be thankful for.

Practicing these things lead a positive cycle being established in the couples relationship. But what about the God-man relationship?

1. God is always seeking to connect with us. What if I was more alert to God's voice, and more inclined and really listen?
2. What if, instead of being distracted by my failures, I concentrated on being thankful for what God has done in and through my life? What if, instead of being consumed by what is not, I am thankful for what is? And look more for the good that is helping between me and God?

Identity in Christ - 23 (Elect)

The term, “elect,” has gotten difficult to understand. Largely, this is due to its association with the theology of John Calvin. Most of the people who use the term are followers of John Calvin.

 

First, I am not a follower of John Calvin. I probably would not use the term as he did. To be 100% honest, I am not sure I even understand what he meant by it. Second, the Bible does use the term. In the original language, it means “chosen”.

 

Jesus told a story to illustrate what his kingdom was like. There was a king, who was hosting a big party. He planned and prepared for a long time. He worked on the guest list, the decorations and the menu. He consulted with the chef. He assigned and delegated. He sent the invitations. Finally, when everything was ready, he sent another message to everyone on the guest list. And nobody came. So, he sent waves of servants to those he invited. And they either ignored the servants or, in some cases, abused them.

 

So, the king told his servants to go out and invite everybody else. And they came. But some people did not dress appropriately. So, when the king saw one of those, he had them ejected from the party.

 

Jesus ended the story with this punchline: “Everybody is invited. Not everybody is chosen.”

 

I am always a little leery of convoluted explanations of Jesus’ stories. Most of his stories were parables, that is, stories with a punchline, or only one point to them. But he did tell some allegories. That is, stories where the characters were symbolic of something else. And I do think this one is allegorical.

 

It is pretty easy to see God as the king, those on the quest list as Israel, and everybody else as “everybody else.” The party becomes the kingdom of God.

 

So, God chose Israel to become part of his kingdom. He sent his servants to invite them, but they did not come. They chose not to follow, or give their allegiance to God. So, he invited everybody else. And there was a huge response. Some people wanted to be part of God’s kingdom, but they did not do so in an appropriate manner. Since, I referred to following God above, the initial conclusion would be “not appropriate” means “not wanting to follow.”

• God’s Perspective

God invited Israel into his kingdom, to represent him to the world. For some reason, they consistently chose not to follow him. (To be sure, some individuals did. En masse, as a nation, they did not.)

 

So, God invited a different group of people (everybody else) to be his kingdom and his representatives. Anyone who responded to his invitation and chose to keep his ways, he let them come into and stay at  the  “party”. God’s chosen (God’s elect) are people, who come to God, give him their allegiance, set their hearts on him and in obedience to his ways.

 

At least, according to this story. I can say I know how this all plays out in relationship to God's omniscience. But, in relationship to this story, God's chosen are those who choose God.

 

God's love is given to everyone. God's heart is focused on everyone. But not everyone is a member of his family. That's not God's choice. That's the person's choice. God nudges, pokes, whispers to everyone. Hopefully, he gets someone's attention and that person chooses to start a relationship with the Father, give allegiance to him and join his family.

 

It was with this intention that God created the world. There should have never been any separation between God and people. And God, on his part, seeks to redeem and reclaim his family.

I have made the point before that God is sold out for his children. He paid an immense price for them. The death of Jesus reveals that the Father will go to tremendous lengths for his children. He went that far, will he withhold necessary provision? Physical or otherwise? Will he not accept and protect those he has chosen? The mark of that choice is the blood of Jesus wiping away our sin, and the Spirit in our hearts -- teaching, revealing, renewing and providing.

• Living my Life

The extent and solidness of his choice, the all-in nature of his giving, which demonstrates his love and acceptance, ought to provide an amazing freedom and confidence to our living.

It ought to make us fearless in loving people. We ought to become totally transparent and vulnerable. We ought to act with huge faith.

Ultimately, our hearts, faith and love are not big enough. We are , at best, small seeds, germinating, exposing our faces to he sun and rain. Maybe we bear fruit. We take small baby steps of love and faith.

I don't think this worries our father. He celebrates each step, each small victory, each micron of growth. He is patient. He does not watch the failures. He focuses on where we will wind up.

He chose us. He knew exactly what he was getting. And he is not bothered by it in the least.



 

Identity in Christ - 22 (Expression of Christ)

Paul begins by reminding us that we are Christ’s. He purchased us with his blood. Therefore, he has a right to have expectations about how we live and behave. As a result, he urges us to focus our hearts and minds on God’s kingdom.

 

We have a new heart and a new life. It is the life of Christ in us, giving us new motivations, new values, and new power. It is Christ in us that should flow out of us. (Not perfectly. Remember the presence of sin.)

 

Now, people live inside out. What fills their hearts gets expressed. And it is Jesus who fills th4e hearts of those who give allegiance to Jesus. So, it is Jesus who they should “express”.

• God’s Perspective

When God looks at us, he sees us in Christ. He looks at us through Jesus-colored glasses. When God looks at us, he looks at our hearts, and he sees Jesus in our hearts. No matter how God looks at us, if we have given our allegiance to Jesus, God sees Jesus. And what he expects is Jesus living in the world, in each of his children.

• Living My Life

And we should expect Jesus (at least, more of Jesus) to be seen in our lives too. And it shouldn't be this big burden. We are naturally expressing our hearts.

 

The presence of sin means our hearts (and therefore our actions) malfunction much too often. People pursue "unrighteous" behavior like taking aspirin for a headache, when the real problem is brain cancer. The grit their teeth and try harder. They establish rules.

 

What is needed is more Jesus flowing from our hearts -- God breaking down the sin wall, allowing more of Jesus to come out.

 

What is it that breaks down the sin wall. God uses a number of tools. But, as far as people are concerned and can control, engaging in practices that give God permission to flow through their hearts. Things like: worship, prayer, meditation. Being with others of like-mind, even if it's just for pizza, can facilitate God-consciousness and God-connection. Living, loving and serving can deepen channels that God has already broken through., weakening the whole structure.

 

It is a matter of one's heart. Words and deeds ultimately get changed -- profoundly and truly changed, forever -- in the depths of the heart.