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Following Jesus: We Say It, But Do We Want It?
By Don Meyer
CHICAGO, IL (February 6, 2003) - We say we want to be like Jesus. But, is that
really what we want?
That was the probing question posed to pastors attending the 2003 Midwinter
Conference Thursday evening by noted speaker and author Dallas Willard, who
is a professor and former director of the School of Philosophy at the
University of Southern California.
"If we are to discover the sure path to spiritual growth in Christ's
likeness, then we must become 'wholly lost in Jesus,'" Willard said in
quoting from a large banner spanning the stage behind the podium from which
he spoke. The banner quoted the familiar words of the hymn: "Deeper,
deeper, blessed Holy Spirit, take me deeper still; till my life is wholly
lost in Jesus and his perfect will."
"There is a sure path towards that goal," Willard said. "But, it won't come
like lightning. And it won't come by going to church. Some people do not
believe such a path is even possible - they have seen too many
disappointments in life, too many struggles in their own families who speak
of love but practice hate."
Willard blames pride and the basic human tendency to boast of one's own
achievement in explaining why he believes some people do not put much stock
in the concept of "victorious Christian living" - the ability to live each
day in the character and power of Christ. "It is hard for some people to
understand that sanctification is as much a manifestation of the power of
God as is justification. There is no boasting."
Another danger is the tendency on the part of some to fix their eyes on the
things of this earth rather than those things that are above the earth.
"Your old life is over," Willard said of the individual who comes to
Christ. "The life you now have is hidden in Christ," he said in recalling
Paul's letter in Colossians. "Christ is glorious, therefore your hidden
life is glorious."
How is a new creature in Christ to respond to the temptation of pride and
distractions from what is truly important? "Let the old desires die off -
mortify the body," he suggests. "Get rid of envy, anger, wrath and malice.
You don't need to lie anymore. You're living in a new world - you have
God's vision of things now. You're a new person.
"Instead, put on mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, forgiving one
another," he continued. "Are you getting the picture? To be wholly lost in
Jesus, above all other things you must put on agape - love," he said. "Love
suffers long. Love is kind. Love doesn't envy. Love doesn't exalt itself."
Willard suggested thinking of "wholly lost" without a perspective of
legalism. "It comes as a gift of grace." And in seeking the sure path to
spiritual growth, Willard offered three principles summed up in the acronym
VIM:
- The 'V' is for vision. "The sure path depends upon a vision of life as
a beautiful, holy life in the Kingdom of God. Jesus was a happy person -
his disciples knew his kindness and goodness. That's what's being offered
to us."
- The 'I' is for intention. "When we look at this language 'wholly lost,'
we must ask ourselves, 'have I really intended to be loving and kind?' One
must desire and value something before intending to pursue it. If you have
a vision to do something and really want it and intend to do it, then
Christ can empower you."
- The 'M' is for means. "The means of doing something are found in the
disciplines of a spiritual life - faithfulness, giving, prayer, witnessing.
The means of doing something is not enough if there is no intention of
doing so, and intention is driven by vision."
The world is waiting for the church to stand up and be the people of God,
Willard said. "God is waiting for that, too," he added, "for people to
follow Jesus all the way, to live that kind of life in the world with Jesus
Christ."
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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