A great danger today is for Christians—the ones made holy and blameless and new and radiant, and who are right now the happy homes of God Almighty—to listen to a speaker or pastor or leader who does not see them as they have become in Christ, but who sees them only in the disguised and lowly appearances of this world. What they hear will be flesh to flesh, and confusion, though cloaked in bright lights and noise and smiling faces, will produce frustration and disillusionment.
If, on the other hand, that speaker or pastor or leader truly sees them and is at all dazzled by the royalty they are, then they can rest confidently because what they hear will invigorate who they are—majesty unveiled. It’s then that the glory of God in the sons of God is brilliantly evident. And that—the sons of God living together by faith in God—is how the world is changed.
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Amen !!
ReplyDeleteSign me up for the latter and keep me from the former. After I started to study grace and listen to people teach about grace, I would go to my old church and then say to my wife upon leaving that I went in with a great attitude and left with a lousy one. What you just said explains why.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ralph! The Lord uses you to speak to my heart in some of the most powerful ways......this just encouraged my heart in a HUGE way!!
ReplyDeleteI just realized, Ralph, that your writing style is quite poetic. I am the opposite. I am Mr. Bullet Points. I don't preach much, but I've been told my style is 'preaching for a verdict.' Ever heard of that description?
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments, everyone.
ReplyDeleteMurray--Yes! I have. It's lawyer speak. . .sort of.
That is how we need to see each other always...seated with Christ and knowing no man according to the flesh.
ReplyDeleteIf only.....hearts set a blaze to God's truth, eyes wide open to see God's truth, listening ears in tune with God's truth.....if only. Thank you, Ralph for this post!
ReplyDeleteGlad we've got a pastor who gets it. Message series on Romans 5,6,7,8 right now.
ReplyDeleteYou are a breath of fresh air Ralph, in a world that mostly makes me gag.
ReplyDeleteTo the Praise of His glorious Grace :)
ReplyDeleteAnother reminder why I don't - and can't - attend regular services in a building that the church meets in.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, Ralph. It is time for us all to see Christ's body as He does... and realize He died so we all could live. Loving people neutralizes the "oh these people!" feeling that can creep into the corners of our souls ...
ReplyDeleteI agree. Awhile back, a friend was bragging that his pastor would remind his congregation of where they came from (drug dealers, prostitutes, etc.) in order to keep them "humble." I thought that was foolish. What they needed was to be reminded of who they were in Christ---fully righteous and holy.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff Ralph! Thank you for that very much!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to repost. Thank you, Ralph!
ReplyDeleteIf the Great Commission was go sit and listen to another speaker wouldn't Jesus have said so. They have made it the goal- just to attend and hear how you NEED something else. It is just a distraction from the GO YE and share this Good News!
ReplyDeleteNo cure...... and besides, a pastor from a couple of years ago gave me permission to be, well, erratic. That's the word he used. He said he was that way..... no set time to pray or whatever. I loved him! He didn't even care if anyone went to his church, or any church..... A breath of fresh air, he was!
ReplyDeleteWhen is FB going to get an "OUTSTANDING" button? Thanks Ralph!
ReplyDeleteExcellent Ralph!
ReplyDeleteTill we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (Eph 4:13-14)
ReplyDeleteThat's really good Ralph! That second paragraph would make a great vision statement for a Grace group!
ReplyDeleteLove this post Ralph. I want to share it.
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