"Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth-- those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation." (John 5:28, 29)
Every quarter when I read our text I am increasingly aware of the "dangers" of pop "born again" evangelicalism. Try as we may over the years, there has been a "nothing-you-do-can-earn-salvation dominance in evangelicalism, a wrong interpretation of, "not of works lest anyone should boast." It is akin to, "Well, God has everything under control," which for too many is code for, "I don't have to really worry about, or do anything." The result is usually a convenient dismissal of our text, "those who have done good, to the resurrection of life."
I had coffee in my mother-in-law's living room this morning. She has dementia and patience can be sorely tried at times. It would be easier to just keep her comfortable and warm on these cold December mornings. But even though communication is difficult, she enjoys someone just sitting in the same room with her. In Jesus' Words, this morning I, "....done good...." I made a 95 year old a little more reassured, brought a little comfort to must be at times a very confusing world. The super spiritual theologians among us would say, "O, that's nice. But don't think for a moment that has anything to do with your salvation." Really? I say to them, Read the Gospels, indeed, the Bible. "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, ('done good') and that your fruit should remain...."
If you have checked the, "fruit of the Spirit," lately, you will discover that all of them are definitely "verb" oriented. They have to do with who we are in Jesus, what we do, how we live, how we are with humanity. Maybe too many times being "right" is more important than being patient, staying in that comfort zone more important than, "....done good...." Now you know very well the Ephesian passage, "....created in Christ Jesus for good works." I can tell how, "created in Christ Jesus," I am by my, "....done good...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I do want to be what You want in me. Amen.
Every quarter when I read our text I am increasingly aware of the "dangers" of pop "born again" evangelicalism. Try as we may over the years, there has been a "nothing-you-do-can-earn-salvation dominance in evangelicalism, a wrong interpretation of, "not of works lest anyone should boast." It is akin to, "Well, God has everything under control," which for too many is code for, "I don't have to really worry about, or do anything." The result is usually a convenient dismissal of our text, "those who have done good, to the resurrection of life."
I had coffee in my mother-in-law's living room this morning. She has dementia and patience can be sorely tried at times. It would be easier to just keep her comfortable and warm on these cold December mornings. But even though communication is difficult, she enjoys someone just sitting in the same room with her. In Jesus' Words, this morning I, "....done good...." I made a 95 year old a little more reassured, brought a little comfort to must be at times a very confusing world. The super spiritual theologians among us would say, "O, that's nice. But don't think for a moment that has anything to do with your salvation." Really? I say to them, Read the Gospels, indeed, the Bible. "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, ('done good') and that your fruit should remain...."
If you have checked the, "fruit of the Spirit," lately, you will discover that all of them are definitely "verb" oriented. They have to do with who we are in Jesus, what we do, how we live, how we are with humanity. Maybe too many times being "right" is more important than being patient, staying in that comfort zone more important than, "....done good...." Now you know very well the Ephesian passage, "....created in Christ Jesus for good works." I can tell how, "created in Christ Jesus," I am by my, "....done good...."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I do want to be what You want in me. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
