What Does a Normal Cross-Section of Christians Look Like?

For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. --I Corinthians 1:26

I would add to the list in that scripture verse. There are those that have had divorces, affairs, rebellious children, depression, anxiety, failed careers, dissatisfaction, anger, disappointments, brushes with suicide, and more. This list reflects a cross-section of believers that is only vexing if our goal is to display perfect flesh. However, when our goal is the preparation and perfection of the spirit, we see that many of these things are necessary, for because of them there will occur the loss of self-glory, pride, righteousness, strength, and kingdoms. All of these things are hindrances that need removal before we can manifest the fruit of the Spirit and His life,which is the true goal of the faith. Well-adjusted flesh may make us comfortable and look quite nice to us, but it carries with it a self-satisfied stench to the Lord that proves it is not the proper goal of our lives in Christ.

It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad that the typical church dwells on the things of “the flesh” instead of focusing completely on helping its membership know, possess, and manifest the fruit of the Spirit and the Life of Christ.  And how terribly sad it is that the focus actually works to prohibit the true goal of God from becoming known to most and very rarely experienced.  Well, amen.

Surpassing Greatness

I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.     Philippians 3:8

Are there sorrows that sorely test our heart? Be assured that our Father intends every one of them to be a road for us to Christ; so that we may reach Him and know Him in some character of His love and power, that otherwise our souls had not known.

- C A Coates

An Ointment Poured Forth

For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:15

The savor of the good ointments of Christ may flow out through the holy lives of His people. Every trait, every perfection exhibited by Himself in His walk through this world may be reproduced in those that are His.

Look, for example, at the precepts and exhortations of the epistles. Every one of them has been perfectly exemplified in Christ; and unless this is remembered, so that they may be associated with Himself as the living Word, they will become hard and legal obligations.

Christ in us, Christ our life, as set forth in Colossians, is to be followed by the display of Christ through us, in the power of the Holy Spirit. For this we need to be much in His company; for the more we are with Him, the more we shall be transformed into His likeness, and the more certainly will the savor of His good ointments be spread abroad. And this will be a mighty testimony to who He is; for in this case His name will, through us, be as ointment poured forth; the sweet savor of the name of Christ will flow forth from our walk as well as from our words.

- Edward Dennett

The Individual

The King's heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a water-course wherever he pleases.
Proverbs 21:1

God works through persons, through individual souls, instead of committees, federated bands, or great organizations. The strongest force on earth is the individual soul. God conquers some one heart, and through that heart He pours His purposes like a mighty river.

When men drift away from the Lord, the individual man counts but little, and confidence is placed in the majorities, and heavy armies. The Tower of Babel was built by a national committee, who said, "let us build us a city and tower."

But God singled out one man, Abraham, and called him to be a pilgrim, and the founder of a race of those who had faith. Napoleon said, "That God was on the side of the heaviest battalions," but something happened to prevent his words proving true, and that something will in the end be found to be a Divine touch on someone's soul. The history of the world is found in the lives of a
succession of individuals.

The King of Syria marshaled an army to capture the prophet Elisha, but the lone prophet prayed, and the army went blind, and He led them into Samaria.

Men are forever depending on armies, committees, and a show of strength; and in the most quiet, simple and unexpected way, God gently and secretly inspires some one soul who outwits the wise, and carries out God's purposes in an undreamed way.

- G D Watson

Our Inheritance

In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of
him who works all things after the counsel of his own will.  Ephesians 1:11

We are constantly ensnared by looking at secondary causes--we do not realize God in everything.
Were we more alive to the fact that there is not an event which happens to us, from morning to night,
in which the voice of our Father may not be heard, His hand seen, with what a blessed atmosphere
would surround us! Man and circumstances would then be received as so many agents and instruments in our Father's hand; so many ingredients in His cup for us. Thus would our minds be solemnized, our spirits calmed, our hearts subdued.

- C A Coates

If forgiveness is guaranteed and there is no longer any condemnation for me, why not sin?

I think Paul anticipated this in the book of Romans because Romans chapter 6 verse 1 sees them talking about the Gospel, right. What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? His answer, of course, by no means. So, the Gospel is really, really good news. The Gospel is far better news than we often even dare believe, right. The Gospel really does forgive us for all we’ve ever done. It really does remove the condemnation for the sins we’re committing now and the sins we will commit. It really does free us in that way. The Gospel is very, very good news. We may have the tendency to think that if we tell the Gospel as it really is, if we share the full Gospel, then people will actually be drawn to sin. Right, if they really understand the freedom they have, if they really understand the full extent of forgiveness. And what is there, what fear is there in them? Isn’t fear what they need to restrain them from sinning? Don’t we need to kind of hold over them some guilt or some fear in order to restrain them from sinning? But, I don’t think the Bible goes there. I think what the Bible holds out is, you so delight in Christ, when you really understand the Gospel, you so delight in Christ that sin becomes unthinkable. Right, it’s not fear that restrains you, in that sense, it’s not the weight of guilt that restrains you, it’s joy, it’s delight in Christ.

So, the Gospel is, the Gospel is amazing news, it’s such wonderful news that I hope you can’t hear the Gospel and repent and believe in Jesus and now see that as being a way of endorsing your sin. Right, saying, now that I understand the Gospel, that I’m free from condemnation, I’m free from guilt, I’m free from sin, now I can go out and sin. Then, you haven’t really understood the Gospel. The Gospel makes you think, I’ve been freed from sin, I am no longer under guilt, I am no longer under condemnation, so praise God, I am going to honor God, I’m going to serve God. I’m going to delight in Christ. The last thing I want is to sin against this God. The last thing I want to do is sin against this savior who’s given so much to me. So, as Christians, I don’t think we’re using fear to motivate obedience in that way, right, I think we’re using delight as the greatest motivator to obedience.

The Jolly Roger's New Interpretation of Scripture