Because I Can
I am enjoying my freedom in Christ these days but I am becoming more and more aware of Paul’s warning in Galatians 5:13 -
You, my brother’s and sister’s, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in the flesh, rather serve one another humbly in love. (NIV)
Do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh. What in the world does that mean? Does it sound kind of sensual and wicked or is that just me?
How do sincere disciples of Jesus Christ indulge the flesh? Well, in the context, I want you to notice that "serving one another humbly in love is juxtaposed against indulging the flesh.
Evidently, those Christian brothers and sisters in the churches of Galatia needed to hear that, and I’m pretty sure we do too.
I’ve been writing about some issues in the institutional church in our day. Primarily, an obsession with right doctrine that borders on idolatrous, and confuses the means for the end, and the expectation of conformity to things (and I choose that word carefully) that place a multitude of roadblocks on the pathway of those who would otherwise enter the Kingdom of God.
Nobody likes criticism and those who offer it should only do so if they feel a divine compulsion. Most important, the critics need to avoid indulging in the flesh and devote themselves to serving their brothers and sisters in Christ.
I say what I say these days because I can. I’m not leading a church and seeking to bring a congregation of people along in the unity of Christ. I’ve also decided not to pursue some avenues available to me in the institutional church. And together, these two things allow me to see and write about concerns I have about the condition of Christendom in many places in today’s world.
Nobody likes criticism and those who receive it should only do so if they feel a divine compulsion. Most important, those who receive criticism need to avoid indulging in the flesh and humbly seek to listen and understand what is being said, allowing the Holy Spirit to separate the wheat from the tares.
All of us need to be challenged in our faith and perspectives. These challenges strengthen our spiritual muscles. A healthy church and healthy disciples know this and refuse to wall themselves off from others who challenge their thinking. This is one of the reasons why I will never turn my back on or leave the visible, institutional church. And for the record, I hear God often there. The other reason is I know from history that institutions can be reformed or transformed, if necessary.
All of us need to engage in regular spiritual wrestling matches, strengthening that one thing which matters most to us all - serving one another humbly, in love.
Because I can . . .
In Christ,
Dan
P.S.
Check out my podcasts from Church on the Edge and my books on Kindle.