Author | Vagabond Preacher | Lover of the Poor | Grandpa
“Only let us live up to what we have already attained.” After many weeks we’re now concluding our comments on this passage and I hope it’s clear by now that we’ve arrived at the conclusion that there is no arrival and no conclusion for the maturation of us who follow Jesus. Paul is clear on …
Continue reading "Mature Christians Live Into What They Know"
“If on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.” It’s not like he was saying, “If you disagree with me, God’ll show you!” I don’t get from Paul that it was his way or the highway. He just knew that the way to follow Christ in a mature way …
Continue reading "Mature Christians Dig for Deeper Revelation"
"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead..." Spirituality wears many disguises. It’s best one is “religion.” Pharisees are the same yesterday, today, and forever. They can imitate spiritual depth with the best of them. They appear to doggedly press into the heart of things, when they are actually just working to …
Continue reading "Mature Christians Renounce Barren Religion"
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Paul bursts out in these few verses to the Philippians with talk about attaining, obtaining, pressing on, taking hold, and straining toward …
Continue reading "Mature Christians Routinely Press Into Unknown Territory"
“…becoming like him in his death” You can't be resurrected without dying first. Death comes before resurrection. The order cannot be reversed. New life only comes after dying to the old life. If you want to know the power of Jesus’ resurrection you have to become like him in his death. It’s only those who …
