Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending my best friend's baptism. It was a special time, as I watched my friend declare her unwavering allegiance to Christ, making a public declaration of her faith in Christ; that she is set-apart unto Him.
I've been thinking a bit about the symbolism of baptism and what it means, and the statement it makes. When you are being put under the water, it symbolizes your dying to self and to the world, and being brought back up symbolizes your being made alive in Christ. It is, as my friend did last night, a public declaration of your faith.
As I think about it baptism is a symbol of our lives and what they should look like: Dead to the world and the flesh and its desires, and alive to Christ, living for Him, being set apart for Him. We should live our lives as a declaration of what baptism symbolizes: That we are set-apart to Him. The world no longer has a grip on us. Unfortunately, in our modern church, we are very much in the grip of the world. This should not be. We need to be dead to the world.
John says this in 1 John 2:15-17: "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." (NIV)
We are called to a life of being dead to the world and alive to Christ. I know I've used this verse a lot, but I really like the depth of what it says: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, NIV)
My friend's baptism is a great picture and symbol of this verse, and it is a great example of how we should all live. We need to be dead to the world and alive to Christ. When people see us, they should see that the world does not have a hold on us, but instead, that Christ lives in us. That is what baptism symbolizes, and that is what we should live. I challenge you (and myself as well!) to live a life that is a declaration that you are dead to the world and alive to Christ!
For Christ's Glory!
Thoughts and musings on following Christ, becoming a Warrior Poet, and living as a Disciple.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Overcoming...
I've been reading in Revelation recently for my devotions, and I just finished chapters 2-3 yesterday. I have been doing a chapter or so a day, which is unusual for me. I tend to have a voracious appetite for Scripture, 6-10 chapters a day. (which is not a bad thing, I think!) For Revelation (and here on out, if I can help it) I have really been spending a lot of time studying and meditating on each chapter. Why? Well, the introduction to the book reads like this:
"The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." (Scripture in NIV unless otherwise marked...)
When you read that, it becomes obvious that there is some important things to see and learn in this book. So, I have been spending a lot of time meditating on each chapter as I go.
All this to say is that as I read Revelation 2-3, one big theme really stuck out to me, and has been something that I have been spending some time thinking on, the idea of overcoming. In each letter to each of the churches in the two chapters, Christ closes the letter with a mention about "he who overcomes..." Take a look:
Rev 2:7: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."
Rev 2:11: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death."
Rev 2:17: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it."
Rev 2:26: "To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—"
Rev 3:5: "He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels."
Rev 3:12: "Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name."
Rev 3:21: "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne."
It doesn't take a Bible student to realize that there is a theme here! =) Obviously, overcoming is very important and there is great reward for those who do. The fact that this is repeated with each letter implies to me that this promise is applicable to everyone. The logical question, then, is:"What does it mean to overcome?"
Merriam-Webster Online defines "overcome" as : "to get the better of : surmount" A synonym is "conquer". It means to prevail. This brings the next question of "what are we overcoming or prevailing against?"
Romans 12:21 says this:"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (KJV) Elsewhere in 1 John 5:4-5, John says, "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (ESV) We are in a battle. A battle against temptations and sin, and a battle against ourselves, our flesh. The Christian life is not a walk in the park after we accept Christ! We need to "be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." (Eph 6:10-13)
We are exhorted to overcome. But how? We are helpless to do it on our own. It is by His grace that we can overcome. He has already overcome the World, and is ready to give us strength to hold fast, to overcome.
We need to stand in Him, and overcome. It means we need to endure and hold strong to the end. Devote your life to Christ. Overcome your Flesh! Paul exhorts Timothy to "But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:5-7, NASB) Paul was one who overcame, who endured, and he exhorted Timothy to do the same. We, too, need to hold on to the end, and overcome. Christ will come again. We need to remain strong in our fight. We need to endure in living the life He has set before us.
There is great reward for "he who overcomes", who endures to the end, who stays faithful.
Remember what 1 John 5:4-5 says, "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (ESV) If we endure in our faith, we will overcome.
Now, I doubt I've even scratched the surface of this grand topic, but it has given me a deep-seated desire to be one who overcomes, who remains faithful to the end, no matter what! Who will stand and overcome with me? I want to stand for my King.
For Christ's Glory!
"The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." (Scripture in NIV unless otherwise marked...)
When you read that, it becomes obvious that there is some important things to see and learn in this book. So, I have been spending a lot of time meditating on each chapter as I go.
All this to say is that as I read Revelation 2-3, one big theme really stuck out to me, and has been something that I have been spending some time thinking on, the idea of overcoming. In each letter to each of the churches in the two chapters, Christ closes the letter with a mention about "he who overcomes..." Take a look:
Rev 2:7: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."
Rev 2:11: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death."
Rev 2:17: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it."
Rev 2:26: "To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—"
Rev 3:5: "He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels."
Rev 3:12: "Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name."
Rev 3:21: "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne."
It doesn't take a Bible student to realize that there is a theme here! =) Obviously, overcoming is very important and there is great reward for those who do. The fact that this is repeated with each letter implies to me that this promise is applicable to everyone. The logical question, then, is:"What does it mean to overcome?"
Merriam-Webster Online defines "overcome" as : "to get the better of : surmount
Romans 12:21 says this:"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (KJV) Elsewhere in 1 John 5:4-5, John says, "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (ESV) We are in a battle. A battle against temptations and sin, and a battle against ourselves, our flesh. The Christian life is not a walk in the park after we accept Christ! We need to "be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." (Eph 6:10-13)
We are exhorted to overcome. But how? We are helpless to do it on our own. It is by His grace that we can overcome. He has already overcome the World, and is ready to give us strength to hold fast, to overcome.
We need to stand in Him, and overcome. It means we need to endure and hold strong to the end. Devote your life to Christ. Overcome your Flesh! Paul exhorts Timothy to "But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:5-7, NASB) Paul was one who overcame, who endured, and he exhorted Timothy to do the same. We, too, need to hold on to the end, and overcome. Christ will come again. We need to remain strong in our fight. We need to endure in living the life He has set before us.
There is great reward for "he who overcomes", who endures to the end, who stays faithful.
Remember what 1 John 5:4-5 says, "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (ESV) If we endure in our faith, we will overcome.
Now, I doubt I've even scratched the surface of this grand topic, but it has given me a deep-seated desire to be one who overcomes, who remains faithful to the end, no matter what! Who will stand and overcome with me? I want to stand for my King.
For Christ's Glory!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Life...
I've been doing some thinking, a lot, actually, about what kind of life I want to live. What do I want to characterize my life? I've seen what Americanized Christianity holds, and I don't want it. There is so much more than just going to church on Sundays, giving God 15 minutes of your time in devotions each day and praying over meals. I have been giving this a lot of thought, and yesterday at church, we were given a piece of paper to write some New Year's resolutions for our spiritual life. What I wrote turned out to be a bit more than just your average resolution. In fact it sums up how I want to live my life. Here is what I wrote
"This year (and the years to come as well.) I resolve to seek to know God more everyday, seeking to spend focused time with Him. I want to know Him more. I desire to live my whole life for Him, following where ever He leads. I don't want to go back to complacentcy or yielding to the flesh. I don't want to live a "normal" life. I desire to know Him more, and consequently, be a threat to Hell, yet unknown by the world, instead pointing all attention and glory to God. I am willing and ready to be a fool for Christ, despised and scorned, a spectacle if only to bring Him glory and point others to Him. I am His to use as He wants. I do not want to take pride in anything of me, but only to boast in suffering like Paul, to give the glory to God. It is not what I want, but what He wants. Whatever He wants to me to do, I will do it, for His glory."
This has been something that I have been realizing more and more. I want to say, as Paul did in Galatians 2:20, " I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." I want to live a radical, poured out life for Christ. I don't want to get stuck in the rut of Americanized Christianity, where God is only a part of your life, and not everything. I want to pour out my life in following Him, living a life that overcomes, that isn't done in human strength or wisdom. I am willing to be different, ridiculed, and mocked. I want Him, and so I can say with Paul,
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:7-11)
He is the only thing that really matters in this life, and I want to pour out my life as an offering to Him, serving Him. It sounds crazy, and different, but I can't imagine a life any other way now! I believe that this kind of life is the only one worth living. Granted, it will look different for each of us. Some of us may go to some foreign country, risking it all to share the Gospel. Some may pour out their lives here in prayer and in quiet service. All I know is that I want to radically pursue Him, being a living sacrifice! This is how I want to spend my life, no matter how short or long it may be. He gave His life for us; how can we give Him any less? Who will join me in no longer living, but Him living through me, giving everything to Him?
For Christ's Glory!
"This year (and the years to come as well.) I resolve to seek to know God more everyday, seeking to spend focused time with Him. I want to know Him more. I desire to live my whole life for Him, following where ever He leads. I don't want to go back to complacentcy or yielding to the flesh. I don't want to live a "normal" life. I desire to know Him more, and consequently, be a threat to Hell, yet unknown by the world, instead pointing all attention and glory to God. I am willing and ready to be a fool for Christ, despised and scorned, a spectacle if only to bring Him glory and point others to Him. I am His to use as He wants. I do not want to take pride in anything of me, but only to boast in suffering like Paul, to give the glory to God. It is not what I want, but what He wants. Whatever He wants to me to do, I will do it, for His glory."
This has been something that I have been realizing more and more. I want to say, as Paul did in Galatians 2:20, " I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." I want to live a radical, poured out life for Christ. I don't want to get stuck in the rut of Americanized Christianity, where God is only a part of your life, and not everything. I want to pour out my life in following Him, living a life that overcomes, that isn't done in human strength or wisdom. I am willing to be different, ridiculed, and mocked. I want Him, and so I can say with Paul,
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:7-11)
He is the only thing that really matters in this life, and I want to pour out my life as an offering to Him, serving Him. It sounds crazy, and different, but I can't imagine a life any other way now! I believe that this kind of life is the only one worth living. Granted, it will look different for each of us. Some of us may go to some foreign country, risking it all to share the Gospel. Some may pour out their lives here in prayer and in quiet service. All I know is that I want to radically pursue Him, being a living sacrifice! This is how I want to spend my life, no matter how short or long it may be. He gave His life for us; how can we give Him any less? Who will join me in no longer living, but Him living through me, giving everything to Him?
For Christ's Glory!
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