Tuesday, February 14, 2017

139. HOW TO OVERCOME THE POWER OF SIN IN MY CHURCH? – Interruption (f) – For a church to ‘grow strong in the Lord’, it needs to grow strong in Christlike humility.

In the current meditations we reflect on the question: is the full armour of God of which Paul talks in Ephesians 6:10-17 only meant for individual Christians or also for the local church as a whole? Does God’s armour only protect Christ’s life in us personally against Satan’s assaults? Does it equally protect Christ’s life within the local church which is the Body of Christ? So far we have seen that Jesus wants to manifest His life in our churches through our passionate love for God and for each other. We have realized that God’s Spirit is well able to produce this Christlike love in our hearts and in our congregations. However, the question remains: how do we protect Jesus’ life in our churches against Satan’s attacks? The apostle Paul encourages the church in Ephesus (Turkey) to “be (or: grow, become) strong in the Lord...” (Ephesians 6:10**). In the present meditations we ask ourselves: how does a church that wants to grow strong ‘in the Lord’ practically look like?


In Meditation 136 we saw that for a church to ‘grow strong in the Lord’, growing in pure Christlike love, produced by God’s Spirit, is a first requirement. In Meditation 137 we tried to formulate the major requirements a church community should meet if it wants to ‘grow strong in the Lord’. In Meditation 138 we meditated on the fact that corporate Christlike compassion for those who suffer is another powerful expression of divine love in a church that desires to mature in Christlikeness.

Today we want to reflect on the subject of corporate Christlike humility. In our Western world, true humility is not highly valued these days, but it is another manifestation of divine love in a church community. Again we need to say that Christlike humility is not a natural capacity for any follower of Christ, let alone for any church family. I remember the words of apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus: “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8**)

To understand what true humility is, we need to look into God’s Word. There we see that the accurate definition of humility is explained in the character of our Triune God.


The true humility of our Triune God

In a clear testimony, Jesus says of Himself: “... I am gentle and humble in heart...” (Matthew 11:29**). That testimony is endorsed by the Old Testament prophet Zechariah (6th century BC) when he spoke of the Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem in the days before His death: “Rejoice greatly, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet He is humble, riding on a donkey-- even on a donkey's colt.” (Zechariah 9:9*)

Furthermore, to the church of Philippi (Greece) the apostle Paul describes Jesus’ humility in a dramatic way: “Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, He did not demand and cling to His rights as God. He made Himself nothing; He took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form He obediently humbled Himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8*)

In this text and many others, Paul clearly proclaims that Jesus Christ is God. His appearance into our world as a human being (Ancient Greek: theophany) is the ultimate manifestation of divine humility.

The apostle John starts his Gospel with a dramatic description of Christ’s humility: 1In the beginning was the Word (i.e. Jesus Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. ... 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognise Him. 11 He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. ...  14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-5, 9-11 and 14**)

The Old Testament speaks more often of God’s humble appearance in human form and of His Self-humiliation to be with those who long for Him. Here are some examples:

-- In Genesis 18:1-33, the eternal God appears as a man to Abraham, accompanied by two angels: “The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby.” (Genesis 18:1-2**)  

-- In Genesis 32:22-30, Jacob wrestles with a man who was a theophany of our everlasting Triune God:  “So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. ... So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.’” (Genesis 32:24.30**)

-- The prophet Isaiah (8th century BC) reveals that our grand and majestic God also humbles Himself to be close to those who need Him: “Thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’” (Isaiah 57:15***)

-- Furthermore, God spoke by mouth of Isaiah to Ahaz, king of Judah, about His future Self-humiliation: “All right then, the Lord Himself will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a Son and will call him Immanuel-- 'God is with us.'” (Isaiah 7:14*) This prophesy was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus: “... an angel of the Lord appeared to him (Joseph) in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ All of this happened to fulfill the Lord's message through His prophet: ‘Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a Son, and He will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us).’ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded. He brought Mary home to be his wife, but she remained a virgin until her Son was born. And Joseph named Him Jesus.” (Matthew 1:20-25*)

To understand the meaning of Jesus’ Self-humiliation better, I think of His words in Matthew 20:26-28*: “... Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many.”


Only God’s Spirit is able to produce Christlike humility in my church

God’s Word makes it clear that the existential problem of man is sin. And sin expresses itself first of all in pride and disobedience to God and His Word. Here are some examples:

-- King David (11th century BC) wrote in one of his songs: “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” (Psalm 51:5**)

-- The prophet Isaiah acknowledged that “all of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God's paths to follow our own.” (Isaiah 53:6*). In chapter 64:6* he lamented: “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall. And our sins, like the wind, sweep us away.”

-- The apostle Paul confessed to the church in Rome: “I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can't make myself do right. I want to, but I can't.” (Romans 7:18*). He reminds his co-worker Titus of the fact that “once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled by others and became slaves to many wicked desires and evil pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy. We hated others, and they hated us. But then God our Savior showed us his kindness and love. He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:3-5*)

Indeed, it is (1) God’s forgiveness of our sins through the blood of Jesus Messiah, (2) the new life He gives us through His Spirit and (3) the control over our sinful nature by God’s Spirit that opens our hearts and our congregations to the real prospect that Christlike love, compassion and humility may grow strong amongst us. Here are two texts to underline that reality:

-- The author of the Book of Hebrews writes:“Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our hearts from deeds that lead to death so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.” (Hebrews 9:14*)

-- The apostle Paul warns the church in Rome, saying: “If you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13**)


God wants Christlike humility to grow strong in our churches

In Meditation 133 we read that a healthy congregation is in all likelihood a mix of Christians from different age groups and different cultures, with different characters, different likes and dislikes, different educational backgrounds, different professions, different skills, different gifts, different experiences, different ‘levels’ of faith (from new converts up to mature believers), different degrees of commitment, etc. Therefore, it is obviously a divine miracle if our churches desire to grow strong in Christlike humility.

Here I want to mention some verses that stress the importance for a congregation to mature in Christlike humility. For a church to reach such a state of being ‘strong in the Lord’, the apostles clearly presuppose the work of God’s Spirit in that church:

-- The apostle Paul encourages the church in Ephesus (Turkey), saying: “Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace.” (Ephesians 4:2-3*)

-- To the church in Philippi (Greece), Paul explains the Christlike humility manifests itself in church through great respect for each other: “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:1-3**)

-- The apostle wants the church in Colossae (Turkey) to grow strong Christlike humility when he writes: “... you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you. In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3:10-14*)

-- Concerning heartfelt humility amongst the Christians in the church of Crete (Greece), Paul instructs his co-worker Titus: “Remind the people ... to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no-one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility towards all men.” (Titus 3:1-2**)

-- The apostle James urges his readers to take a humble, obedient attitude towards God’s Word: “In His goodness He chose to make us His own children by giving us His true Word. And we, out of all creation, became His choice possession. My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God's sight. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to save your souls.” (James 1:18-21*)

-- In his letter, James shows the churches that Christlike humility is a manifestation of divine wisdom: “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” (James 3:13**)

-- The apostle James also tells us how our churches should approach God and why: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10**), because “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:4**)

-- Last but not least, the apostle Peter shows us in two texts how we should relate to each other in our congregations: “All of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.” (1 Peter 3:8**). Again, in 1 Peter 5:5, he prompts us with the words: “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility towards one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” (1 Peter 5:5**)

Earlier in this meditation, we saw that Christlike humility is not a natural capacity for any church. It is God’s Spirit who is well able to produce this attitude amongst our church members. Therefore, we want to close this meditation with some challenging questions:

1. If the Head of our church, Jesus Messiah, testifies of Himself “... I am gentle and humble in heart...” (Matthew 11:29**), in how far is this same disposition manifest amongst our church members?

2.  Humility is the opposite of pride and selfish ambition (see Philippians 2:5-8). How can my church express the same attitude that Jesus had by obediently humbling itself before God and by being willing to serve the marginals and outcasts of our world?

3. To what extend does God’s Spirit have His way in my church to grow Christlike love, compassion and humility?

4. How patient and forgiving are the members of my church with each other’s weaknesses and differences? Does mutual criticism destroy the peace in my church?

5. How strong is the desire of my church members to keep united in the Holy Spirit so that love, compassion, humility and peace reign among us?  

6. Is my church constantly reminded in sermons and other ways to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no-one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility towards all men? ( See Titus 3:1-2). How does my church practically show true humility towards all men?

7. How does my church grow in divine wisdom? (See James 3:13)

8. How does my church grow strong in a humble relationship with God and with His Word?

If God’s Spirit is able to produce love, compassion and humility in our churches, I believe that Jesus’ royal prayer comes to fulfillment: “I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one, as We are -- I in them and You in Me, all being perfected into one. Then the world will know that You sent Me and will understand that You love them as much as You love Me.” (John 17:22-23*)


Translations: * New Living Translation; ** New International Version; *** New King James Version


About “Who is the Holy Spirit and what is His ministry?”, see Meditations 27-33 and 49-55.
About "God's major project: transforming me and my church into the likeness of Christ", see Meditations 44-48.
About “Personal, Christlike love for God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ”, see Meditations 56-62.
About “Corporate, Christlike love for God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ”, see Meditations 63-99.
About “The Church as a ‘Corporate Personality’, see Meditation 63-65.
About “The two Tracks of Maturing in Christlikeness”, see Meditation 100.
About “How to overcome the power of sin in my life?”, see Meditations 101-130.
About “How to overcome the power of sin in my church?”, see Meditations 131-137.

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