Good morning, dear ones.
We had a great time on our ski excursion yesterday amidst quite nice conditions—fresh snow. And I had a fun jog this morning with a guy who came by to join me.
A little known fact is that today marks the day I turn 74. I can hardly believe it myself. And after all these years, I’m still wearing my birthday suit. However, it doesn’t look quite like it used to. I like that little joky saying that YOU KNOW YOU’RE GETTING OLD WHEN YOU STEP OUT OF THE SHOWER AND FEEL GLAD THAT THE MIRROR IS STEAMED UP.
I need to get on with knocking out a fairly large volume of graphics for a truck today.
Blessings on all you have to do today. In belief and promotion of the Biblical Gospel—Ray.
Anyone who understands anything about the Biblical Gospel also understands that there is an inseparable evangelistic mandate built into it. For example, “As you go into all the world, preach openly the wonderful news of the gospel to the entire human race!” (Mark 16:15, TPT) So Paul was simply faithful to that mandate—and declared a criminal for doing so—which is also exactly what Jesus said would happen. Paul’s persecution comes as no big surprise. In fact, Jesus not only promised such persecution and suffering, but also instructed His followers to be happy about it! “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12, NIV).
Let’s understand that the Biblical Gospel is not just a bunch of ideological verbiage—not just so much religious rhetoric—it must be substantiated by observable evidence in order to be effectively communicated and regarded as being of acceptable quality. That is the crucial requirement Paul laces into his defense before Festus and King Agrippa—he confesses that he has indeed been “…telling people everywhere that they must repent and turn to God and demonstrate it with a changed life.”
Jesus set a scrutiny standard for the world to use in judging the validity of Christians/Christianity. He said, “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:16, NIV). Additionally, He gave a judgment for the world to use to confirm who are authentic followers of Christ—“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35, NIV). What better checklist to use in identifying positive fruit than the one presented by Paul in Galatians 5? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV). Let’s understand that there is nothing very natural about those qualities as compared with the disposition of the NATURAL SIN NATURE. But when they are on display, we have a pretty reliable demonstration of authenticity. The verse following the last quote helps to definitively put things in perspective—“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24, NIV).
I’m forced to draw a conclusion from all this: Any form of Christianity that does not display these essential qualities, but regularly displays opposing heart-level attitudes, is simply not the real deal—it’s counterfeit—phony as a 3 dollar bill! That’s simply what Paul affirms—that claims of being a Christ-follower must be accompanied by evidence of “A CHANGED LIFE.”