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Paranoid for Jesus? Part 2
Written by Dennis Mohn
Wednesday, 25 March 2009 08:58
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But unfortunately when I look around in the churches today I wonder where the people are that are driven by a hope, love and peace giving Spirit. We do see a lot of enthusiasm but which is very often only based on the Great Commission to make disciples as a law or a rule – without any motivation out of hope, love, and peace. The question remains: Where are the people filled and motivated by the character of God that Paul describes as the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5? Where are the believers that are aware of a hope, love, and peace giving Spirit? It seems that they disappear slowly and the Great Commission becomes more and more a law. It is actually not about the commission in itself. Why does God do all the things He does? Why did He give His Son? Why did He give His Spirit? So that we could complete the Great Commission better? I don’t think so! God is all about us… the relationship with us. But too often we are all about completing the task of making disciples. Where are the people made of Gods character? Let me tell you what I think where they are. In Galatians 5:22-23: “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.” Paul makes clear that there is no law that could replace the character of God. In the next verses he tells us where the people are filled with the character of God: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” I believe that hope, love, and peace are present within us since the moment we asked God for forgiveness. Deep in our heart the Spirit is present. But there are still certain layers covering it and therefore He can’t cover us completely. Those layers can take any form – low self-esteem, egoism, arrogance, addictions, lifestyle, own will, position dependency, etc. Paul is asking the Galatians as well as us: When did those things go on the cross?
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Isn’t that great? We may be filled with hope, love, and peace! And you what is even greater? We can share this with others. We may share with others what Jesus would like to do for them through the Spirit if we surrender to Him. We have Good News to tell and not bad news of a thief in the night that comes in the future and shoots you away.
We do show a sense of sympathy to others in miserable situations but it sounds more like ‘Too bad for you. It is bad, isn’t it?’ This kind of sympathy ignores the message of hope. But there is also the other extreme to sympathy, which is mainly based on an exaggerating proclamation of a triumphal victory. This kind of sympathy ignores the daily reality of suffering.
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