Far as the Curse is Found

Terrell and I recently found ourlseves in one of those disorienting debates "discussions" that at moments have the participants feeling like a child being turned upside down under the waves at the beach.  You are trying to figure out which way is up to get air but instead find yourself eating sand and getting more saltwater up your nose.  It was a topic that we fogot was just as much a part of God's Gospel work as any other.  But without the hope of His sovereignty and intimate use of this partiular subject (by which He intends to show us more of His love and the extent of the power of grace to transform us), we were left trying to figure it out and work it out by our own energy, attempts at insight and self-willed perseverence.

Why I am shocked or even disappointed when I or other Christians continue to suffer, wound one another, offend or just simply thrash around blindly without wisdom or peace only reveals how little I really grasp the Gospel.  Somewhere along the way I got the notion that my "new creation" status was supposed to be flawless, above reproach and beyond reproach!  Worse yet, I continue to assume that my "salvation by grace alone" then sent me out to "win the race" by sheer discipline, resolve, faithfulness and greater effort as if Jesus is merely my life coach. 

I have been indirectly reprimanded several times by well meaning Christians that certain decisions ahead of me may actually be a display of foolishness on my part.  The implication here is that I can choose the right thing, "wisdom", which will be revealed as wisdom because of its evident success, which we as American Christians frequently define as safety and prosperity.  But here is what 1 Corinthians 1:30 says about wisdom:  It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.  Wisdom isn't my right or careful choice, as if my future rests in my hands and therefore any hope for a good future lies in my perfect choice making.  No, wisdom is Jesus!

Jesus is my righteousness, holiness and redemption, not my effort, perfect decision making or personal ability to work out the details in my own mind.  This is why Paul warns the Galatians not to try to finish what God has started by His Holy Spirit with our human effort.  He calls that foolishness!  (Gal. 3)  Wisdom is Jesus, foolishness is me!

Oh now come on, that is just negative self-talk and a total dismissal of all the talents and ability that God has given me!  NO - its not negative self-talk but the very honest reality that we are those who can cease from striving "because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." (Hebrews 10:14)  We have been declared perfect legally, just as our new baby who we have not yet met will be legally declared our child within weeks of our first meeting him/her.  But the process of being our child will develop over time.  Our voice will not be familiar immediately nor our mannerisms picked up simply because papers are signed.  But over time, our vocabulary will become our new child's vocabulary and our arms will become increasingly safe and familiar.

Because the child who is now an orphan will then be fully and totally our child, this does not mean he or she will never disobey or be mistreated, but status in our family is not conditioned upon the future behavior or hardships.  If wisdom is Jesus, our holiness, righteousness and redemption, then the wisdom of a situation is found in how it makes us cling to Him rather than ourselves.  For this reason, the suffering we inflict on those we love and which we experience in a broken world should not defeat my faith but confrim my very need for the person and work of Jesus, by His grace, to transform me as I am completely unable to do on my own.  And there is no sphere of life, no relationship and no issue for which "He is making all things new" does not apply.  He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found!