A More Excellent Way part 1
Proverbs 14:12 tells us that, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." And then the Apostle Paul tells us to "...covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31). So there's a way that SEEMS right and then there's a more excellent way. Now watch this: Right after Paul announces a more excellent way he launches into 1 Corinthians chapter 13. The love chapter. Love is the more excellent way. And the amazing thing about the love chapter is that it's a personality profile of Jesus. Which means--since we ARE Jesus--it's a personality profile of US! If you want to know what you're really like you have to look in the mirro with an unveiled face (without the Law causing a sense of separation). You have to look into the perfect law of liberty. Colossians 3:3 says, "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." So let me say it like this: If you want to find your life you have to look in the right place. There's so much Scripture about knowing no man (including yourself) after the flesh. About not judging by appearance by judging righteous judgment. About measuring the temple (we are the temple) with the rod (Jesus is the rod) and about not measuring the outer court. But all we seem to be able to focus on is the outward appearance. We judge people by their actions. And, as always, I'm not saying actions aren't important, because they are, but I'm saying if we focus on actions we miss the point. What you do doesn't define who you are. Who you are--or rather, who you BELIEVE you are--defines what you do. If you're trying to fix actions you're not getting to the root of the problem. Behavior modification, while it might have some limited success in the beginning, cannot bring about real change. Real change is effortless. Real change doesn't come from fear of punishment. It comes from love of people. There's a more excellent way. The Old Covenant was all about us trying to fit into a box, trying to keep the Law, trying to live Jesus' life. But all of that is impossible. Because the only thing the Law can produce is lawbreakers. The Law demands perfection without being able to produce it. We were not created to be servants under bondage trying to earn our bread by the sweat of our brow. We were created to have an intimate relationship with our Creator. We were created to be loved and to love one another with that same love. Adam and Eve wanted so badly to be like God that they swallowed the serpents lie and ate from the tree of death. Doing in order to be SEEMED RIGHT, but wasn't. And here's why--and here's the whole idea for this Rant series--Adam and Eve were trying to do something for themselves. They were trying to get. And while that seems right to a man, that selfish mindset leads only to death. For God so loved the world He GAVE His only begotten Son. Love is giving. The more excellent way (which is love, which is Jesus) is not about getting. It's about giving. And when that's our focus--giving, not recieving--that's when we experience the abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life!