In the book of Titus, Paul tells Titus to work hard in teaching and leading so that people will be "eager to do good works".
In response to this:
"...it is not for man to lay down the formula for "what a Christian looks like..."
This stuff isn't formulaic. It's relational. And its nucular... It's a call to total abandonment... There's nothing formulaic in it. Abandonment to trust... Abiding in the Vine... Bearing much fruit...
His eyes are searching the land, brothers and sisters. When He returns, will He find faith on the Earth? Faith that's alive, with works to prove??? As surely as faith without works is dead, we need to press in to Jesus in a total heart-abandonment...
"Formula" isn't what this discussion has entailed. The whole thing results in an increased intensity of focus on abiding in Christ! ...of being in relationship with Him...
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To quote your post and to keep going:
ReplyDelete"In response to this:
'...it is not for man to lay down the formula for "what a Christian looks like...'"
I did't intend to state the direct message of the discussion the other night was that Jesus would call *every* man to give up all his material goods.
But it felt like some invovled in that discussion (not you) were trying to lay down a specific hole into which a "real Christian" would fit. When I see that, I get ill. That is a hertical line of thought that is very easy for anyone to fall into. It is even easier to new (normally teenage) belviever to drop into.
No meat, no rock, no dancing, no excess money....
So, that's why I left may last post, and entered the same ideas in different words at the disucssion.
It had sounded like some were headed to the conclusion that "real Christians will be poor" with the implied "rich people are evil." Which is a judgmental statement that few are qualified to make (and those that do are wrong.) It's probably great fun to slap the label of evil on someone that is wealthy when you are disaffected, but that does not make it right.
I think I'm rambling now...
-jjs