Now the soulish man is not receiving those things which are of the spirit of God, for they are stupidity to him, and he is not able to know them, seeing that they are spiritually examined
Paul to the Corinthians (1) 2: 14, Concordant New Testament
As a young man steeped in the religious practices and traditions of the Jewish religion, Saul knew all too well what was expected of those who were of the Jewish faith. The strict adherence to those traditions handed down for generations had been instilled in him from a young age. By his own admission, he advanced in his faith and religion becoming "Inherently exceedingly more zealous for the traditions of my fathers" {Pual to the Galatians 1:14}. All of that changed one day on the road to Damascus as Saul traveled, letters for the persecution of the followers of Jesus in hand, towards Damascus. What happened next I often refer to as this man Saul's "Come to Jesus" moment. For on that dusty road, Saul came face to face with the One he had been persecuting. In an instant, Saul was transformed from a Jewish zealot to one on his knees asking "Who art thou, Lord" {Acts of the Apostles 9:5}? Imagine his surprise as he learned that this was none other than He whom Saul had been persecuting, the risen Lord Jesus. While he was just beginning in his own understanding of the man he had sought to persecute, Saul's eyes had been opened to the reality of Christ Jesus. Later, the man now known as Paul would come to know much more about Him, until Paul's evangel became the blueprint of our own understanding of our own life in Christ. For many believers, however, their eyes have yet to be opened to the truth which Paul speaks of in his evangel. Growing up in the mainstream church, I can relate to that indoctrination which Saul went through in the synagogues of the Jewish religion. From an early age, the beliefs and traditions of the mainstream church were instilled in me as well. That despite the fact that Jesus gave Himself on that cross for my sin, that it was this same sin which now separated me from the God Who created me. My eyes had yet to be opened.
With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living: no longer I, but living in me is Christ. Now that which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in the faith that is of the Son Of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me
Paul to the Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament
Many in the Christian faith throw out the term "Eyes being opened" without really knowing the truth themselves. For if we adhere to the separation theology preached by the mainstream church, our eyes have yet to be opened to the truth of the Lord Jesus in us. That's right, Jesus WITHIN us. Paul's eyes had been opened to this truth of his life in Jesus {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}. His own understanding may not have occurred on that road to Damascus, but Paul would spend more than a few years in the desert unwrapping his own understanding of the truth of Jesus {Paul to the Galatians 1:17}. Paul spent a good deal of time in Arabia where he undoubtedly spent a good deal of time in the spirit as well. We do well to remember that Paul had a good deal of Jewish tradition which needed to be unlearned. My own journey to knowing the truth of Christ in me followed a similar path. I see my own "Come to Jesus" moment as that day, while on a hike with a good friend, I was introduced to the truth of my life in Jesus. That trail became my own road to Damascus if you will. Since then, my eyes having been opened, I have come to know the Lord Jesus not as some distant overseer, but as the source of my life in Him {Johns Account 14:20}. As Paul came to understand that his life was not his own, so it has been for me. I know that there have been more than a few people who have prayed that my eyes would be opened, but God works in His own time. As it was with Paul, when it delighted Him, He revealed His Son in me {Paul to the Galatians 1:15}.
~Scott~
No comments:
Post a Comment