Desiring Our Savior's Likeness

Seeking Fresh Blessings in Brotherly Love

Good Morning!

Of all people Christians should be the most concerned about personal piety. That word can be defined in many ways, but it simply means our interest in Jesus, and how we go about cultivating that faith. Lots of folks are involved in spiritual programs designed to make them better people. Yet, the follower of Christ’s way should look different both in the why we seek to be holy, and how we go about it. Our desire is not for an ever-changing scheme, but being grounded in the simplicity of the Christian faith. We should always be hopeful in answering any questions about what we believe, especially about why we do what we do. How we put that belief into practice in real life, not in our false conceptions of reality, but as things really are should be a straight-forward thing. However, that isn’t always the case for many. A false conception of their place in the Kingdom is belied by their lack of focus on a proper answer. That comes from a lack of interest in developing a right relationship with the Redeemer. Being a “God-fearer” is not sufficient, as James notes even the Devil is aware the Lord exists, that Jesus came to save sinners, and in that he still trembles. For a lively faith there needs to be some fruitful proof to our spiritual pudding. Nominal belief is a damnable offense against Jehovah God.

The Puritan Jonathan Dickinson says this:

Christianity consists not merely in speculation, but in practice. We must not only give our assent to the truth of the gospel, but give up our hearts to Christ. The faith which He requires is not a slight superficial belief that He is the Redeemer of mankind, but such a faith as will form us into subjection and obedience to Himself. 

In our worship and prayer help today we are going to think more deeply about our walk with Christ and how we can improve our desire to seek holiness. The reason this matters in the eyes of the Lord is that the goal of sanctification which begins in the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit is a non-negotiable in the Christian life. We are to be consistently and regularly dying to self and living to Jesus. A soul who regards the process of being made more like our Redeemer with a nonchalance gives rise to a concern that there is something seriously wrong, eternally so.

In our sermon this past Lord’s Day we heard this from Moses, “This day the Lord your God commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.” There I highlighted that word “careful”. We’re watchful over the things that matter to us. If you are moved by this question then I have good news for you. God has granted a way to help in the fight.

There is a picture of this work of blessing which conceives of three legs to Godly sanctification that hold us up and prepare us for this battle. Out of all of them Christian fellowship is probably the one that gets the least amount of publicity. We all know about worship and prayer and other spiritual acts, but being around people? How does that work? Is there some secret handshake or meeting that we haven’t been to that explains these things? Who knew sitting around and flapping your gums would help you grow in grace. I didn’t. To paraphrase a wise man if talking to people makes you holy just call me Billy Graham! But seriously there is a reason why we do not consider this mercy when it comes to thinking through the instrumental means that our Lord has provided for us to mature in the faith. It seems kind of “not holy” in a way that reads as not religious. It doesn’t take special training or a whole lot of preparatory labor. It just seems too easy, and too worldly. An annoyance that I have is how sometimes people feel the need to add Communion to events that don’t need it (weddings, ceremonies, etc…) because they have an idea that there must be more Christian kitsch present to help things go well. We can likewise get mistaken about the plainness of how much of what Jehovah would have us do in the New Testament. It really is not rocket science.

If you go and read Paul’s letters to Thessalonica (and other places) there is more spoken about the way their mutual love for him had encouraged him than any other thing they had done. For the Apostle there was always a desire to be physically present with the men and women of the local church. He is constantly hoping to go to places and see believers he had never met before. A kind of spiritual wanderlust motivated much of Paul’s missionary labors. It is worth asking the question about where this came from. Why did he think it so important, and needed, for his own well-being? Partly this yearning came from his own fights with the old man within and the thorn in his flesh. He knew that his best hope, outside of Christ Himself in the means of prayer and Scripture meditation was fellow believers who faced the same struggles as himself.

Human beings are social creatures. We don’t do well when isolated from others. While most of us want left alone, we don’t necessarily want to be alone. This is somewhat why it is so vital to visit shut-in’s and others without regular company. I have to admit that one of my favorite things to do in the ministry is head over to someone’s house and shoot the breeze, hear about life, family history, and just generally hear how things are going in their world. You don’t have to ask me twice to come and visit. Text/call I’ll be there, yet that’s of course not all that I do when I stop by. Both vocationally and personally I am concerned with how the Lord is working in yours and their life. It is of great encouragement to me to hear how the Holy Spirit has been granting prayer requests and has grown your appreciation for the goodness of God even in the midst of a dark providence. We all need to hear that, especially preachers. It is so helpful to know that the Lord is helping, it reminds us that the same promise is available to us.

In closing today, we need to think more deeply about our presence with other believers in specifically religious environments. But not only that whether we come together at church, at functions, even in the middle of Walmart how often do subjects regarding our walk with Christ come up? Are we concerned about it enough to ask? It’s a good question, one we need to ask ourselves. Another part of it is are we interested in finding things out for prayer purposes, or gossip? Nothing is more anti-Christian than fishing for information in order to use it against someone else, either to gain for yourself in position or power, or even worse so that one can boast and laugh. We are called to love one another as Christ has loved us. That means showing mercy and grace to build one another up in faith. This is the great blessing of Christian fellowship and brotherly love.

Here is something to help think more on the subject:

https://tabletalkmagazine.com/posts/what-is-brotherly-love/

Blessings in Christ,

Rev. Benjamin Glaser

Pastor, Bethany ARP Church