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Christ in me

August 16, 2010 by Fritz

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20

I’m not just living “in Christ”, he is living “in me”. I am not trying to do what he did and to be like him, instead I am allowing him to guide my daily tasks as if he were living through me, which he is. I become more like him as a byproduct.

Former pastor and author, Dallas Willard, puts it this way:

[H]e is, in any case, interested in my life, that very existence that is me. There lies my need. I need to be able to lead my life as he would lead it if he were I. So as his disciple I am not necessarily learning how to do special religious things, either as a part of “full-time service” or as a part of “part-time service.” My discipleship to Jesus is, within clearly definable limits, not a matter of what I do, but of how I do it. And it covers everything, “religious” or not.

– fritz
1 – The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas Willard, pg.276

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Think "Covenant"

August 15, 2010 by Fritz

“Great are the works of the LORD …he remembers his covenant forever.” – Psalm 111:2a, 5b

God acts according to what’s called a “Covenant”.

Covenants, like present day legal contracts, have terms, conditions, remedies, and participants. Also like a contract it takes a purposed agreement from all participants before it is binding. Unlike contracts, once entered they last forever; or at least as long as the participants live.

In the Bible there was a covenant where God promised not to destroy the earth again with water, and where God promised land and descendants to Abraham. God made a covenant with Moses and Israel when he gave the Ten Commandments. There was a “Covenant of peace”, a “Covenant of salt”, a “Covenant of everlasting priesthood” – covenants all throughout the Bible, each with its special provisions, all remembered and followed by God.

Finally, God promised a “New Covenant”1 different from all the rest – a commitment by God to put his laws into participants hearts and take them as his people forever. That’s the covenant we enter when we receive Jesus as our Savior!

“But ye are come … to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant” – Hebrews 12:22, 24

Think in terms of covenants and a lot of the Bible makes more sense.

– fritz
1 – Jeremiah 31:31-33 and Hebrews 8:8-12

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>Losing something important

August 14, 2010 by Fritz

>

“God’s household … is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” – 1st Timothy 3:15

Anglican headlines were recently made by a visiting priest serving the Eucharist1 to an attender’s dog.

The news article reads:

After the action became public last week, Rea apologized during her Sunday sermon to anyone who may have been hurt or embarrassed by her actions. She explained the initial gesture as a way of welcoming a stranger.

[The dog’s owner], who had never been in the church before, thought the action was “very innocent.”

“And the joy and happiness on the face of one old lady in the front row made it all worthwhile,” he told the Toronto Star. 2

What troubles me is not the event but the explanation with its underlying perspective of both leaders and laity concerning the purpose of the church.

When church services are viewed as mere social events to be as inclusive as possible and a smile being the determining factor of what is worthwhile, we have lost something important – a Christ centered focus that make our corporate gatherings worthwhile.

Maybe that’s the real reason church attendance is declining.

-fritz


1 – Eucharist: A church ritual believed by most Christians to represent, either symbolically or actually, the members’ partaking in the life of Christ.

2 – California Catholic Daily, July 31, 2010

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