Many Christians see many of Paul's writing as legalistic, as if we were penning down a new set of rules to be obeyed. Yet in Galatians 5:1-6,13-14 Paul tells us that we are free from legalism and now free in Christ. How does one reconcile Paul's imperative language--"you must deny your sinful nature and embrace the Spirit nature"--with Paul's statement of Christian freedom? The simple truth it, this freedom is not license to do as we please, but freedom to love God and love others, whatever the cost.
Therefore, the passages were Paul tells us what we must or must not do (such as Galatians 5:16-24, Ephesians 5:1-15, and Philippians 2:1-11) are simply his way of showing us what love does--and does not--look like. He is teaching us, through imperative language, what selfless, sacrificial, serving, and humble love--Christ-like love--looks like in our daily lives.
He is likewise teaching us what life in God's Kingdom looks like. The Kingdom is not some ethereal Kingdom high in the sky, but a flesh-and-blood Kingdom amongst us even now, a Kingdom comprised of the disciples of Christ living life in an intimate dance with God and being continually transformed by God into creatures like Christ, into creatures of love.
Paul is not giving us a fresh list of dos and don'ts: he is simply revealing to us the God-centered life, the Christ-devoted life, the Kingdom life--what it is and what it isn't!
Therefore, the passages were Paul tells us what we must or must not do (such as Galatians 5:16-24, Ephesians 5:1-15, and Philippians 2:1-11) are simply his way of showing us what love does--and does not--look like. He is teaching us, through imperative language, what selfless, sacrificial, serving, and humble love--Christ-like love--looks like in our daily lives.
He is likewise teaching us what life in God's Kingdom looks like. The Kingdom is not some ethereal Kingdom high in the sky, but a flesh-and-blood Kingdom amongst us even now, a Kingdom comprised of the disciples of Christ living life in an intimate dance with God and being continually transformed by God into creatures like Christ, into creatures of love.
Paul is not giving us a fresh list of dos and don'ts: he is simply revealing to us the God-centered life, the Christ-devoted life, the Kingdom life--what it is and what it isn't!
3 comments:
AMEN BROTHER!!!!!!
I am very happy to say that the kingdom you describe is not the Kingdom God has planned for us but was and is merely intended as a shadow of things to come. And when it comes there will be no mistaking it, no doubt and more importantly, no opposition to it. It will have real power and authority not this weak and pathetic imaginary kingdom conjured up in the minds of men to take our eyes off the real thing. And yet we are afraid to say it. Afraid to think it. Afraid to confront what has been taught to us by Christian ministers because surely they must be right?!!
Yes, I believe that the Kingdom that exists now is not the Kingdom in its fullness. Taken literally, the passage from Isaiah, I believe, is a picture of the new heavens and new earth, which is the continuation of the Kingdom in which we now exist. Taken figuratively, the passage from Isaiah is the Kingdom I have described.
Thank you so much for your comment; I am thankful you were compelled to disagree!
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