Circumcision of the Heart
Posted by tom | Jul 2, 2009A few weeks ago Christine Sine mentioned her summer series on How Spiritual Are We? I've not had time to write specifically on the topic, but recently I've been reading a number of articles on sanctification in preparation for The Brethren in Christ Theology of Salvation with Dr. Luke L. Keefer, Jr. And this has reminded me of the How Spiritual Are We? learning/writing project. My initial answer to the question is totally spiritual, i.e., 24/7. But then the question becomes spiritual in what manner, in relationship to what/whom? As followers of Christ (both as individuals and the Body), do we live lives in and with evidence of the Spirit, i.e., the fruit of the Spirit?
Following Christ demands daily embracing and living in the reality of the circumcision of the heart, which involves the way of the cross & the resurrection. When does one's walk with the One Who Is begin? A crucial first step is the acknowledgment of how much one falls short through the Fall, i.e., not just short of perfection but how much darkness lies within me personally and can only be addressed by the Great Redeemer who brings cleansing Light. This involves a mysterious blend of the Father, Son/Word, Spirit, scriptures, people of God, and a decision to cast aside the old/broken for the new/redeemed. Furthermore, this is revisted in some complex manner moment by moment in the light of eternity. Sanctify your people through your truth, your word.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.-- Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, v.4, http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/c/o/comethou.htm
Tired. Still processing. Time to rest. More thoughts later, in particular with regard to how one learns humility through deep relationships (e.g., marriage), raising children, stress, and difficult incidents in one's life.
P.S. What better place to share these thoughts than a blog ;-) I'd encourage you to take a few minutes to read Surprised By Community: the Spirituality of Blogging.
I spoke to a pentecostal christian about salvation and read scripture to study the word and know God better.
She asked if there are signs of the Holy Spirit. I told her I don't honestly know, being a Christian that is probably not good that I don't know.
I therefore asked and she told that there are signs. I asked where in scripture does her claim be validated? She gave me, (1 Peter 3:20, John 3:5, Mark 16:16-17, Acts 2:38 and 1 Corinthians 6:11)
I than went to scripture to make sure she did not pervert scripture to verify her claim to be true.
Well, not only was I wrong about my understanding of Holy spirit but I found more scripture to support her claim.
Mathew 8, Math 19, Romans 3, Romans 6, Romans 8, Philippians 3, Luke 13, Romans 10 and 11, 1 Corinthians 1, Ephesians 1, and Hebrews 7 to validate her point to be true.
According to these chapters and books and verses, A christian is not really able to properly serve and yield to spirit(Galatians 5, Mathew 12, John 14 & 16, Acts 2, Romans 8, Luke 24, 2 Corinthians 5, 2 Timothy) and live out the nature God intended without properly knowing the truth of salvation.
Christians think that the holy spirit does not have signs(Acts 2) and that gifts come from Accepting Jesus into your heart(1 Corinthians 12) etc.
We need to read our bibles about salvation and see what God really says about signs(John 14 & 16, Acts 2) and gifts (1 Corinthians 12) so we can truly live out the spirit. After all, we are to walk and like Jesus (John 10).
He was that perfect high priest(Hebrews 8)
Let's see what Jesus has to tell us about salvation.
Posted by Sergey, Jul 15 2009, 00:05