In our text today, John appears to group all people into one of two families. There are those who are "of the devil," and those who are "of God." This is not a description of actual genetic family linkage; John is not saying that there are actual spawn of Satan out there. Membership in these families is dependent on whether one has believed and received the Spirit of Christ or not. This is the same John who wrote in his gospel (John 1:12) - 'to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.') In a sense, the last name of every believer becomes, 'Christian.'
Did you ever live in a neighborhood where a particular family had such specific attributes that you knew the minute you saw one of them that they were members of THAT family? There is a family resemblance that is unmistakable. John says you can pretty much do that with 'the Christians', too. "Oh yeah, she's one of the Christians. She stands for doing the right thing." "Yup, he 's one of the Christians. He has that special love for people." "I see compassion in him. I see generosity in her. I know what family THEY belong to." Do you demonstrate the same values and character qualities as God? Your relationship to Jesus is showing.The 'other' family is known by its values and character as well. The FitzDevils are known for living with moral standards that fall short of what God prescribes. They exhibit hatred. They have murder in their hearts, but no pity. Their love shows up as lip service; it doesn't follow through and proves false. John says, "This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are."
If you call yourself by the name of Christian, then you must uphold the reputation of your family name by living with a noble and godly character. One of my favorite old world words is 'besmirch.' It means to soil or tarnish, and also to defame or dishonor one's name. May we never besmirch the name of Christ with FitzDevilian behavior.
Pray: Jesus, you died to grant me the opportunity to live as a member of your family. You've given me your Spirit to enable me to live up to my new name - Your name. Help me when I start leaning toward and living like the child of another. Help me to remember whose I am.
The confusing thing here for me, is that I know non christians who definitely exhibit the behaviors you are extolling christians to exhibit, and also christians who exhibit the behaviors the 'fitzdevils' are purported to display. So then, how is outward behavior an indication of your faith or lack there of? It is easy enough to call us to uphold a certain type of behavior, but what that largely results in, is a bunch of plasticy people walking around pretending to be something they aren't! I have hatred and murder in my heart on occasion, and do things that I know to be wrong, and I used to cover all of this up trying to be someone I wasn't by making everything look rosy on the outside. (Do you have ANY idea the thoughts that ran through my head sitting in the church office?) The bottom line is that I can never begin to approach this 'christian behavior' you speak of, and still remain true to who I REALLY am. I tried for 15 years, and what that resulted in, was broken relationship with those who perhaps needed the relationship most. If I am known for living with moral standards that fall short of what God prescribes, does that make me a 'fitzdevil'? Especially if I knowingly and willingly live with those standards? Or am I really saved by grace?
ReplyDeleteI have been in discussion lately with a group of friends regarding Galations 2. Specifically the fact that Titus was not required (nor even compelled) to be circumcized to be worthy as a representative of Christ. So, the focus of our discussion has been, "How free really are we in Christ?"
Sorry for the length...it might be time for us to get together for lunch again...I love and appreciate the relationship we share.
How free are we in Christ? Read Romans 6. Here's a sample - "17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.
ReplyDelete18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
19 ...Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life."
In a sense, there is no freedom for human beings. We are either slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness. To use 'freedom' language, I am either free from God's rule in my life (and sinning as my regular course of being), or I am free to pursue holiness (enjoying its blessings if I'll work at it). In Christ we don't just have 'freedom' period. We have 'freedom to be holy.' Anyone who uses their freedom in Christ to do as they please or excuse 'the way they are' is abusing that freedom. That's what Paul meant when he said, "Shall we go on sinning that grace may abound? May it never be!"
I can see what BOTH of you are saying. In regards to Susie's comment: my thought is that when we submit to Jesus our debt is paid in terms of salvation, but I don't think ANYONE has changed their whole life behavior over night just because they became saved. I think what Susie is trying to say is that many Christians don't workout their salvation, but instead just "cover it up" with everything that they see other Christians doing around them. We all have seen (and participated) in the art of looking one way at church and being totally different at home.
ReplyDeleteThen I feel that Bob is trying to say that as Christians our behavior changes as we continue to strive to become Christ-like. I think what we fail to acknowledge is that each person does this at a different pace. I think this is where things get tricky because everybody has a different idea about what "growth" looks like and is often measured by what we SEE people doing, but God doesn't look at the outside, He looks at the heart. Nobody knows our heart, only God does. From the outside King David was an adulterer, murderer and was full of lust and hate, yet God called him a "man after his own heart" and he is used in many teachings as an example of a "Godly man". How do you explain that?
Excellent points from both of you!