Friday, February 1, 2008
The Rule
In Colossians 3 the Peace of Christ is to Rule in our hearts...I'm to put off the old man with anger, wrath, malice, obscene language and lies....and I'm to put on compassion, gentleness, patience, humility, forgiveness the way Christ forgave me...and of course love. The Rule of Christ in my heart comes down to putting off and putting on. There are aspects of the new life that I must work more diligently to put on...and aspects of the old man that are as difficult to shed as longjohns over snow boots but the one simple rule is whatever characteristics I'm displaying at the time reveal the man I am at the moment...not the man I was intended to be, or even my fundamental identity... but the man I'm choosing to be. That's the rule and He rules when we shed the habits of flesh...
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Oddly enough, my mind was on the same track earlier today. I thought if I can shed all the characteristics of myself that are not of Christ then all that is left will be Christ. Only then, can I be a genuine imitator of Christ. Maybe one day the imitation will be less an imitation and more Christ?
Thomas a Kempis drew the same thought out to very fine and convicting conclusions in his "Imitation of Christ." What does it truly mean to be crucified to self and alive in Christ!?
I think what I'm realizing is that we have to enroll in the school of crucified flesh and cross lifting rather than simply be told this is the case. Jesus' way of solitude, fasting, prayer, meditation, teaching, serving are the courses and lifestyle attributes that both make it possible to crucify the flesh and that lead to crucified flesh...we must model and follow the way...
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