Studying and Salvation

I was a pirate last night! At least that is what I told everyone when they asked me why I had an eye patch on my eye. It was fun to mess with people and say, "Arrrr" alot! I love the opportunities to confirm for others what they already know: I'm a dork! And this is a random opening paragraph to lead into a deeper topic.

Even with a one-eyed facilitator last night, our discussion went well. We continued our "You Asked For It" class discussing salvation. It was cool to see how quickly everyone went to emphasize the on-going nature of salvation. One of the first texts from the Bible referenced was Philippians 2:12-13:

"Therefore my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."

The difficult part in our conversation was understanding how "working out our salvation" translates practically into everyday living. At one point I asked, "Does it count as an example of working out our salvation when I am studying for an exam and being a good student?" There was a lot of silence as the great minds in the room were thinking. In fact, I almost smelt smoke!

How could studying for an exam count as continuing to work out your salvation? Here are some of my thoughts.

First, as I've mentioned before, I am one who consistently refuses to accept (and even recognize) the ginormous chasm most of us have between our spiritual life and any other aspect of our life (even academic life). No! We have one life! That's it! And each aspect of our life is connected to all the others! It is impossible to have one aspect of my life (say, academic studies) isolated and uninfluenced by another aspect of my life (say, how I treat my parents)! That is why our studies gets a boost of newfound energy when we come home from Spring Break having had a little time to rest. (btw...the opposite is equally true if our Spring Break experienced some sort of parental bomb shell!)

So! Studying counts as working out your salvation.

Attending to academic studies is a venue through which students can consider themselves as working out their salvation. Attending to your studies is a living-fully-alive-as-God-created-us exercise. It is a loving-the-Lord-your-God-with-all-your-mind thing. You are growing up into the fullness of Christ when you are growing in knowledge. It is all related.

I love how practical this is for students! Want to work on growing up in your salvation in Christ? Study! Review! Take good notes! Listen to your professor! Ask them questions! Sleep at night! Eat well! Grow!

This sounds like the Jesus I read about in Luke 2:46, 52. His parents "found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. .... And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."

Imitate Me

We had a great discussion last night in our Wednesday night Bible class. I love the amount of discussion that seems to happen week in and week out this semester as we wade through the pages of Philippians.

Last night I asked the question (in light of Philippians 3:17), "Is it prideful of me, as a minister of the gospel, to tell all of you to imitate me?" Wow! Some were pretty adamant that I shouldn't say this. Some said that I shouldn't say it (that would be proud), but that I should think of myself as an example. Several mentioned that being a minister automatically puts you in a position where people see you as an example. Still others held that they wouldn't want a minister if he couldn't say "imitate me."

After a while, the discussion went toward how everyone (not just ministers) should be able to say, "imitate me." They should be able to reflect the name they wear: Christian. It is as if we are living out our real citizenship on earth (see Phil 3:20 and 1:27).

The challenge is to be the Jesus examples for everyone. I wonder what would happen if all Christians lived the name that they profess. This world would truly be a radically different place.

Bringing About Salvation

Immediately after the amazing Christ hymn in Philippians 2:5-11, Paul says an interesting thing about salvation. As Jesus gave ear to (obeyed) death in 2:8, so Paul tells the Philippians to give ear to (obey) his admonition about salvation. He asks them to bring about their own salvation. Some translate the word as work out, produce, or maybe even create their own salvation.

It is an interesting concept because we normally think of salvation as something that has already been completed. It happened as I became part of "The Way." At some point in the past I was saved. While this is certainly true, Paul forces us to reconsider the nature of salvation in his comment. Salvation, for Paul, seems to be a commitment that must receive constant attention. You can certainly grow up in your salvation (cf. 1 Peter 2:2).

The context confirms this idea as we learn how to bring about salvation among us more often. Other people are definitely involved in bringing about salvation. We must think about them as Jesus did. Do everything without grumbling and complaining, Paul admonishes. This negative attitude, unlike the Christ-attitude we see in the previous hymn, does not promote salvation among the group of which you are a part.

Bringing about salvation also holds onto (or holds up) Christ's living message among the group (2:16). Living is all about considering others better than yourselves (2:3-4). Living is actually what Paul talks about in only one other location in Philippians. He says, "For me, this business of living is Christ and this business of dying is gain" (1:21). Living is all about Jesus; dying is all about advancement.

If there was a group that took these words seriously, they would certainly be compelled toward the others people, just like Jesus. This group would be totally transformed into the realm of salvation. They would be delivered from the horrible negative attitudes that do not advance the gospel, a key idea for Paul in Philippians (see 1:6, 12, 25; 2:13).

In the end, I have a couple of questions for myself (and you). Do you take instruction well and give ear to (obey) others, even those "below" you? How are you bringing about salvation among the group? Are you holding out the message about living in how you think about others?

Humility of Christ

Yesterday ... how can I say this ... I was reminded of my pride! I haven't been able to get past it all day long. I long for the humility of Christ expressed in Philippians 2:6-11. I'm not going to speak to the particular situation, but I will tell of the comment I needed to hear.

I was talking to Doug about wanting to be a co-leader with him of a particular group of people. I told him that if I were part of this group I would constantly fight dominating the conversation, the thought processes, and other stuff. Doug quickly affirmed my assessment and said, "Yes. You don't need to be in charge because you would dominate. And I tell you that as a friend." I told him that is why I would need him in the group to curb my prideful tendencies.

Sometimes I joke about someone affirming one of your "bad" qualities. (see a previous post of mine.) Rarely, if ever, do we hear someone affirm us when we say something like, "Man, I am a moron!" If someone immediately said, "Well, yeah you are a moron!" we would tend to take offense. The far better thing to do is to say only things that we believe to be true about ourselves. It wasn't an easy thing to hear from someone else, but I needed it! True friends can say difficult things in order to point us back to Christ.

A humble, honest opinion of our weaknesses displays Christ powerfully in our body, something that Paul also affirms in Philippians 1:20. May His humility overwhelm my attitude.

God is Active

Last night I preached at New Waverly. Since I only preach there two times a month, I decided to slowly go through Philippians. So I get up there, begin my lesson, and notice that not a few people are laughing. Almost everyone has a big smile on their face. I knew they weren't laughing at me but at something that I didn't know; it didn't bother me.

So I finish my sermon (which I thought went pretty well), and we sing the invitation song. After this song, the song leader stops and informs me as to why people were laughing: I had just preached a sermon using the exact same text as the preacher in the morning.

They knew I didn't have a clue what was going to be preached on Sunday morning, so God must have been at work! I couldn't believe it! They assured me that the sermons were amazingly pretty different. God's hand is very interesting. I still can't get over something like that happening without any communication ahead of time.

Here is the kicker: there was someone who listened to both sermons that needed those messages. Struggling through many things, this person heard loud and clear that something needed to happen; no longer is sitting idly an option.

I praise God that stuff like this continues to happen! He is active. He does prompt us to do things of which we don't know the implications. As faithful servants we respond to these promptings and get to watch God work.

What are you going to do today, God? May we have the courage to lose ourselves in your movements.