Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings on this overcast Thursday morning…

In a few minutes I’ll join Becki on a little walk/jog excursion. I hope I don’t have to argue with Dandy about finding a ball to take. Good grief! He has about 50 of them laying all over this property, but keeps telling me he doesn’t know where one is. If I argue enough, he will normally go out and about and find one.

Sign work, sawing work, furniture making work, and tree work—it’s all on the agenda in one form or another. While I can get a little overwhelmed with it all, I have to be thankful to be busy—and thankful to be able to be busy.

Blessings on your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

If I could reduce Paul’s main concern for his readers to one basic message, I think it would be something like this: THE VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT A LEISURELY, CASUAL, RELAXING, “WHATEVER,” “HO-HUM,” “WALK-IN-THE-PARK” COURSE—BUT ONE OF DECISIVE LOVING GOD, COMMITMENT, DILIGENCE, FOCUS, GROWTH (development), AND SELF-DISCIPLINE (thus “discipleship”)—AND NOT JUST SOME OF THE TIME, BUT ALL OF THE TIME!—24/7! I cannot comprehend how any true believer can take exception with this view. As I regard Paul’s example as one that is worthy of following, I see this approach to life and faith paying valuable dividends, not just for me personally, but also in the lives of others who are of like-minded persuasion. This faith description seems reminiscent of the comparison Jesus spoke of regarding the broad and easy way that leads to destruction, versus the narrow disciplined way that leads to LIFE (Matthew 7:13-14). Once again, I can’t seem to avoid the conclusion that it all boils down to a matter of CHOICE—where one chooses from the full range of options a HEART AFTER GOD.

Let me quote verse 12: “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” You’ll notice that I underlined the last phrase. I think it’s worth raising the question as to why “Christ Jesus took hold of me?” Without any doubt, God has gone to great lengths and vested big-time in my salvation. The CROSS proves that! But why? Does He love me because I’m so loveable? No. Is it because I am of such sterling character? Certainly not. The best answer I can come up with is that He loves me NOT for what I am, but for what I may become IN CHRIST—for the potential I hold in embracing the above-mentioned approach to living. Let me repeat it—a life of LOVING GOD, COMMITMENT, DILIGENCE, FOCUS, GROWTH (development), AND SELF-DISCIPLINE (thus “discipleship”)—AND NOT JUST SOME OF THE TIME, BUT ALL OF THE TIME! This is an absolutely impossible job description for anyone NOT loving God. That’s the premise of it all.

Let me carry on this track by quoting verses 13 through 15: “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.”