As a Christian, because of Christ, I have a good self. In order to walk by the spirit I must acknowledge the good self (spirit, identity) that God has given me. My spiritual identity is in fact my only identity in God's eyes. Thus it is my only identity, it is my only "self." If you must talk about selfishness I think self-centred is a better word to use than selfish. Jesus had the greatest self ever but He was not self-centered. The opposite of self-centeredness is love for others. If I focus on self to the exclusion of others that is a harmful thing.
Jesus knew who He was and the importance of what He came to do. If He was not confident that He was the Son of God everything would have been in disarray. Likewise we must have confidence in the fact that we are His children & confidence in what it means to be born of God. The idea that I should degrade myself is sick, satanic, & useless (Colossians 2:18,23). For the Christian a focus on our true self (our only "self" as God sees us) is a good thing and is actually a focus on God. If I rejoice about my identity in Christ it is all because of what Christ has given me & done for me.
An amazing thing to do is to also rejoice in how God sees other people, about their true identity in Christ especially when they treat you poorly. We who are in Christ are equally loved, equally holy, equally righteous, & equally perfected whether we can see it or not. To see someone through the eyes of Christ disarms your negative thoughts and emotions towards them. If we have an awareness of sin, that is if we count sins & label things as sin, it is impossible for us to see anyone, including ourselves, as God sees us. God has taken the world's sin away. He has removed it from people so now He does not regard anyone according to their flesh based actions. God knows this is best for us too. Not regarding people according to their flesh based actions changes how you treat people. You cannot judge or compare by pride. You simply love because you are loved & they are loved. God's love is like butter, it is better when spread.
Hmm, interesting thought... I have to think about it.:) Thanks for sharing:)
ReplyDeleteThe new testament is balanced and full of admonitions against allowing sin in the camp. For exampole, the book of Jude is all about sinful false brethren who the godly Christian is to separate himself from. First Corinthians chapter 5, the whole chapter is also about sin in the church and to eliminated gross sinners from among the sheep. Love and acceptance without truth and judgement is not love at all. My God is balanced and knows how to apply discipline when necessary, and admonishes us to do it when necessary among the brethren. This is love. We are not to be blind to sin in others, in fact we are to confess our sins one to another that we may be healed, and we are to confront one another when we are sin against and hurt. Matthew 7:5&6 speaks of first taking the beam out of our own eye so that we can take the mote out of our brother's eye. Jesus then tells us not to give that which is holy to the dogs. To obey this commandment we certainly have to be aware of the sin in another person's life, and whether or not they are walking in the light of Christ.
ReplyDeleteWhen people are "using their freedom to indulge in the flesh" we know their experience of that freedom will be limited.
DeleteOut of love we address their negative behavior AS THE SPIRIT LEADS. This post is about how you REGARD someone. Just because I do not regard (value/devalue) someone based on their flesh that does not mean I never address their flesh based actions, Paul addressed flesh based actions.
Love does not keep a record of wrongs. It doesn't say love never notices wrongs. Love walks & works with someone without condemnation.