Smeagol is Free!
A hermitudinal view of...stuff...


3.31.2005  

Fixed

I find it to be of deeply edifying benefit and blessing to speak regularly to those individuals in whom I find not only deep conviction about the Truth, but who are also able to communicate those convictions with passion, compassion, and candor. All that to say that chatting with Darren at Java has got me thinking about various angles of thought on several different levels.

Yes, you ought to be worried ;)

Here's a tiny bit of what came up in conversation.

"What is the gospel?" That question was one that he posed to me last night over Instant Messenger, and the thoughts and conversation spawned by such a concise (if not entirely precise) inquiry has me rethinking much that I'd taken for granted. For instance: what's our purpose in sharing the gospel? Is it God's glory, or is it getting people saved? Think about that, because there is a difference. Are we putting forth God's holiness above even the salvation of souls? Are we putting His glory forth as the basis for salvation? If we're not doing these things, what's our real motivation behind the salvation of souls? In other words, what takes precedence? What is our unyielding, unshakeable, fixed purpose and foundation in the sharing of the gospel? Is it the rock-solid foundation of God's holiness, or is it the desire to see someone saved?

I shared with him the huge, ongoing lesson for this school year: the aspect of the gospel that teaches us that Christ is our Bridegroom, and we as His church are His bride. That's an amazing love story, the greatest ever told, and yet we often speak of it (I'm thinking Ephesians 5:22 - 33 here) and teach it as if it's at worst some miniscule and inapplicable portion of Scripture that gives us a little picture about marriage, or at best as though it were a truth that is useful in reminding us a little of what marriage ought to look like. In truth, 'tis far, far more, for Christ's redemption of His bride is a passionate tale filled with the compassionate overtures of a loving Savior toward His wayward, unfaithful bride. It speaks of self-sacrfice, hope beyond death, purest desire and delight, redemption, and joy unspeakable. The redemption of Christ's bride is an aspect of the gospel that is beautiful and heart-rending. The amazing thing? In marriage, we have a glorious, living reminder of that redemption, do we not? More on this later.

We also engaged in a tiny portion of ridiculous thought. Find that hard to believe? Yeah, me, too ;) Anyhow, I'm done letting my thoughts flow like ice cream on a summer sidewalk...time to do some work.

posted by Bolo | 2:51 AM
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