You Mean, “I gotta die”?
August 2nd 2010 01:30
Quite often, what we do is based upon what we think God expects of us or what we want to do for Him rather than what He desires to do through us. Have you ever thought about what we have done with the concept of discipleship? We have turned discipleship into believing the right teachings, knowing the right doctrine, or behaving a certain way.
II Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (here is the purpose of Biblical discipleship).
Many people are being taught to go straight from salvation into works – works that the particular teacher or denominational slant holds as their standard. We need to go back and remind ourselves of the ministry pattern Jesus used. He called people to follow Him, He taught them the “logos” word, He showed them how He did ministry, then He sent them out to do the same ministry (works). The pattern is; 1) Jesus called, 2) Jesus taught, 3) Jesus showed, then 4) He sent them out.
Now let’s go back and look at II Timothy 3:16-17. Doctrine teaches Biblical truth, reproof shows where Biblical truth is deviated from, correction shows how to come back into Biblical truth, and instruction in righteousness shows how to live according to Biblical truth. Why do these things happen through the Word? The answer is “that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work”.
What are these works? They are not the works we come up with to do for God. They are the works God purposed for us to do – beforehand. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand.
Who are we putting on display by our life through the works that we do? Are we displaying our own desires and plans? Are we displaying our own goodness and righteousness? Are we displaying our own talents and abilities? Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. It is not “our” living for God; it is Christ living His life in and through us.
Paul was “dead to self” through what Jesus did which is a doctrinal reality. How did Paul live in doctrinal reality? He experienced “death to self” by simply “reckoning” what had already been accomplished through Christ to be so. Romans 6:11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
There are people who take the "dying to self" doctrine to an extreme and instead of becoming free from self, they become totally self-centered. They constantly think of self, even if it is in negative terms; but it is still self-centered. God is seeking people who are Christ-centered and not self-centered. Dying to self is not a hatred for self or the things we enjoy, but rather a love of Christ that overshadows self and the things we enjoy.
| 103 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog