A couple of statements about spiritual maturity that will mess with you Part -2

May 18, 2011

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Alright, so here’s the rest of the list I started the other day. Here’s to hoping some of this stuff causes as much internal discomfort and wrestling for you as it did for me.

#5 Seek to fulfill your calling not your potential

Your calling describes what you should do. Your potential describes what you could do. People always ask you to fulfill your potential, God on the other hand always asks you to fulfill your calling. Forget about wrestling with if it is good, if it’s important, could you do it, or would it expand the Kingdom. Rather wrestle with if your name is on it.

#6 Knowledge, self-discipline, and sacrifice do not equal godliness

It just means you’re smart and you know how to say no. The problem is there are a lot of smart people out there who have been saying no to God for a long time. Not too smart huh?

#7 If my definition of spiritual maturity is out of reach for the regular guy, then it’s not in line with Jesus

Jesus came to lower the bar, the Pharisees were constantly trying to raise the bar. For ages it’s been average, regular, uneducated, even illiterate guys following Jesus (imagine not being able to do a daily quiet time and still be godly!). After all, the simplest definition of a follower is, well, they follow.

#8 When I use the Bible as a mirror I will become more like Jesus, when I use the Bible as binoculars I become a Pharisee

It’s funny how we become so blind to our blind spots. Guess that’s why they call them blind spots. Check out 1 Kings 3 and you’ll see this guy does a bunch of bad things, one right after another. He was an idiot! And God ends up giving him everything he asked for and more. Solomon had all kinds of blinds spots. Maybe we’d do better looking at ourselves instead of others.

Question:

So which one of these statements creates the most discomfort for you? Leave a comment below.

Comments

7 responses to “A couple of statements about spiritual maturity that will mess with you Part -2”

ward townsend

May 18, 2011

Hi Tymm, I see what you’re saying and i generally agree, however i think the statement is accurate within the context of the comment. Pharisees (of all eras, then as well as now) strive to know God, and desire that others ALSO strive to know God. however, they think that knowing God is obtained through knowledge, discipline, and conforming to what we DEDUCE are God’s expectations. Jesus “lowered that bar” in that He made it clear that Holiness and knowing God is not JUST for those who are the most disciplined, knowledgeable, rule-perfect, etc. It IS for the common man and in that sense He brought it “into” reach for us to grasp and pursue. Now as to Jesus “removed” the bar, i get what you’re saying but i would respectfully disagree, Jesus did not ‘remove’ God’s holy requirements, He MET THEM FOR US, and THAT is a BIG difference. God did not CHANGE His requirements for us, He provided a way for HIS requirements to met on our behalf. You’re right in that WE dont/cant do that. Then He goes the next step and provides us with the strength AND the means to continue in those requirements. Its true that NO ONE can be what Father wants us to be within our own ability, but EVERYONE He has chosen is “predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ” and “What He has BEGUN [conformity to the image of His Son] in you He will CONTINUE to do [ongoing process] until He returns”… while we will never FULLY be like Jesus in THIS world we ARE BECOMING the image of Him while we are here… I DO get it, we CANT do this in our own strength, but THAT is what pushes me DEEPER into HIM because “I can do ALL things through Christ who stengthens me”… this INCLUDES being like Jesus. : ) Just some thoughts from a fellow pilgrim… : )
ward

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Tim Parker

May 18, 2011

Great post Paul and thought provoking. I would have to say #7 is what came to mind when I was reading this. Thanks for the adjustment of thought. Have a great day.

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Ward Townsend

May 18, 2011

Hi Paul, for me the most challenging/uncomfortable is #5. I’m not a very talented or ‘gifted’ guy so when i look at what i can do to signficantly impact the Kingdom, the options appear limited. (I rely heavily on “I will glory in my weakness so that the power of God may rest on me more”.. hahaha) Now add on top of that that i really shouldnt be working my abilities into the equation, that tends to really leave me feeling empty and insignificant… i HAVE learned that most frequently Father asks me to serve in areas OUTSIDE of my skills so that I rely on HIS strength and not my own abilities… still not an EASY transition but getting better at it… : )

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tymm

May 18, 2011

I am not sure I track with the statement “Jesus came to lower the bar.” I don’t think he lowered it at all – instead I think he REMOVED it. And by removing it He said “You can’t achieve this bar I am removing – so now you don’t have to – but you shoul still want to try to…” He set the example of what we should strive for. Which isn’t just out of reach for the “regular guy” – it’s out of reach for EVERYBODY. It doesn’t mean we don’t strive to be like Him – just means we never will be. We simply are unable to reach the standards he set (and removed) – which is sinless perfection…

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paul alexander

May 18, 2011

Hey guys! – #7 is a tough one…well they all are I suppose. But when I say Jesus came to lower the bar, He didn’t make it about performance. The Pharisees were constantly making it more difficult to come to God…Jesus made it easier.

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Amy Wickers

July 14, 2011

Jesus has His followers and they were called apostles/disciples. Among the 12, one of them denied Him thrice. We can all follow Jesus but we sometimes forget to remember how. Probably because we sometimes want to forget.

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Norm

May 13, 2013

As far as Internal Discomfort goes, #8 resinates with me, however I couldn’t agree you more on number 6.
So as a Theological Doctor I presume your presciption is more time in the word and call you in the morning?????

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