This weekend I was teaching my Life Direction, or "BE" seminar. Some of the questions that participants ask are like old friends that come to visit me. I usually see them coming and welcome them wholeheartedly. I would be disappointed if those questions are not asked since that would mean to me that either the participants are not paying attention or that I am not communicating.
One of the studies in the seminar is on the gifts of the Spirit. One of the statements I make is that there is no conditional correlation between the gifts and the fruit of the spirit. With other words, one can lead a miserable, or even immoral life and yet be used by God through the manifestation of His gifts.
And then I wait.
But I don't have to wait too long. After a few seconds of silence, one, and usually more participants will react (forget the niceties and Christian affirmation). People will be indignant and in disagreement. They know I am right but it doesn’t feel right, it feels more like injustice and it is hard to reconcile. We all know the stories of highly influential and effective preachers used by God to bring many into the Kingdom yet, they’re moral failures. Abusers of spouses and children, money and power, promiscuous and perverts. Yet, we all agree that the gift of God on their ministry was genuinely from God.
If the gifts of God would depend on the level of spiritual fruit in our lives, the effective use of Gods gifts through our lives would be like the New York Stock Exchange: up-down, taken a beating and in recovery.
If the gifts of God would depend on the level of spiritual fruit in our, lives, who is the one that will decide where and when we would cross the border of non-giftedness to giftedness. What is on the one side and what would be on the other side? Would an unloving remark suddenly disqualify us? Would God have to withdraw His spirit? We’d probably have to agree that unloving remarks do not disqualify us because if that were to be so, there would not be to much of Gods gifts present in and among us (occasional unloving remarks are quite acceptable, aren’t they). Killing somebody would make us cross the line? Yes or No? What about not killing that person, but quietly hating him/her with a passion? On which side of the line does this belong.
I think I made my point. That is not to say that a tragedy is taking place right as we write, read and speak. The church is full with people that live inconsistent lives. Their lives don’t live up to the level of Grace that God has poured out. A stubborn refusal to live in the light, to live a life of confession and transparency where we are encouraged and freed to bring the darkest secrets of our lives to the table. No, we keep them were they are; in the darkest corners of our hearts.
If it wasn’t for the grace of God, none of us would qualify to receive anything from His HOLY Spirit.
Our responsibility is to remain in Him. A fresh revelation of His Holiness and Grace might help to commit ourselves afresh to living a life of holiness.
Thanks to Mirja for reminding me that I haven’t been ‘updating’ this blog for a while
One of the studies in the seminar is on the gifts of the Spirit. One of the statements I make is that there is no conditional correlation between the gifts and the fruit of the spirit. With other words, one can lead a miserable, or even immoral life and yet be used by God through the manifestation of His gifts.
And then I wait.
But I don't have to wait too long. After a few seconds of silence, one, and usually more participants will react (forget the niceties and Christian affirmation). People will be indignant and in disagreement. They know I am right but it doesn’t feel right, it feels more like injustice and it is hard to reconcile. We all know the stories of highly influential and effective preachers used by God to bring many into the Kingdom yet, they’re moral failures. Abusers of spouses and children, money and power, promiscuous and perverts. Yet, we all agree that the gift of God on their ministry was genuinely from God.
If the gifts of God would depend on the level of spiritual fruit in our lives, the effective use of Gods gifts through our lives would be like the New York Stock Exchange: up-down, taken a beating and in recovery.If the gifts of God would depend on the level of spiritual fruit in our, lives, who is the one that will decide where and when we would cross the border of non-giftedness to giftedness. What is on the one side and what would be on the other side? Would an unloving remark suddenly disqualify us? Would God have to withdraw His spirit? We’d probably have to agree that unloving remarks do not disqualify us because if that were to be so, there would not be to much of Gods gifts present in and among us (occasional unloving remarks are quite acceptable, aren’t they). Killing somebody would make us cross the line? Yes or No? What about not killing that person, but quietly hating him/her with a passion? On which side of the line does this belong.
I think I made my point. That is not to say that a tragedy is taking place right as we write, read and speak. The church is full with people that live inconsistent lives. Their lives don’t live up to the level of Grace that God has poured out. A stubborn refusal to live in the light, to live a life of confession and transparency where we are encouraged and freed to bring the darkest secrets of our lives to the table. No, we keep them were they are; in the darkest corners of our hearts.
If it wasn’t for the grace of God, none of us would qualify to receive anything from His HOLY Spirit.
Our responsibility is to remain in Him. A fresh revelation of His Holiness and Grace might help to commit ourselves afresh to living a life of holiness.
Thanks to Mirja for reminding me that I haven’t been ‘updating’ this blog for a while
