Sick and the big thought....

I have been sick now for about three days now…I have not enjoyed it at all. But I have started reading another book, “The Spirit of the Disciplines, Understanding How God Changes Lives” By Dallas Willard.

I had heard about this book originally written in 1988. The people I have talked to said this book changed their lives, so I thought I’d read it. I am on page 38 and this big thought has started to emerge. The cross…did you know the symbol of the cross wasn’t really used until much later in church history. Here is the idea…

The cross wasn’t the central theme of the early church…today we focus on the cross because it represents the forgiveness of sins…which of course is important...(the cross became a symbol of choice when the church because responsible for dispersing forgiveness in the middle ages) But was the cross the focus of Christ life or was the resurrection. Was the early church focused on forgiveness and that was it or did they live a changed life, based on the thought of this new life in Christ? Where they fearless because of the forgiveness of their sins or because they knew they would rise again?

See here is where I am really starting to struggle…I read verses like ‘you are dead to sin’, “I come that you might have life more abundant”…I am a new creation the old is gone the new has come….and I think what am I missing? Have I set my sights too low…why do I still struggle with sin like I do…where is the new life Paul talks about.

I know I have talked this way before and I really want to understand and to know Christ more than anything. I read Paul’s writing and I think ‘no way’…but is that because I have taught this is something we will attain later. See I am beginning to think we sell our faith short.

Listen Christ lives in us “Even when we were dead through our trespasses, God made us alive together with Christ, Ephesians 2:5. Did Christ intent for us to just live our faith for a few hours on Sunday morning and maybe Wednesday night…did he intent for us to live in defeat all week spiritually…or did he intend for us to live in victory, a changed person…a light…Christ in us…transformed by the resurrection. We died to the old ways and we walk in the newness of life!

I don’t know about you but I want to experience the life Christ talked about, the life he lived! The life the disciples lived…how do I get there, I’m not sure…But Scripture talks about a new life…being clothed in Christ…over and over we see this picture of new life.

All of this begs the question…should we live focused on the cross where we received forgiveness of sin…and leave it at that? Or should the forgiveness of sin and the resurrection spur us to be changed…to live our lives differently…to put our faith into action? I’ll keep reading…Dallas has my attention….

-ps