Post details: Selfish Agape?

02/05/06

Permalink 06:08:33 pm, Categories: GraceHead teaching, By Trent
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Selfish Agape?

Pam is a friend of mine, who is used to writing back in forth with me in forums.

It is harder in these blogs to get a discussion thread going, because I still haven't figured out how to make sure that someone is notified on a reply.

So I'm just going to answer THIS in the form of an all new blog. Anyone can reply to this, not just Pam ... If I write back, it will be through email or a new blog.

Pam,
Hello.
You wrote:{{I don't think anyone will be able to stand before God on judgement day and say, "I rejected you because Christians in 'general' aren't nice people."}}

Agreed 100%.
Take someone that is unwilling, and they will always be unwilling, no matter what anyone does around them nor their impressions of what Christians are like or anything else.

My point was not really about what people's impressions changes, because it changes nothing. It was a matter of what it could reveal about Christianity in general ... Specifically, that the vast majority of what Christians are doing is done carnally.

Spritual Christianity leaves NO REASONABLE explaination for activity except to say that Jesus, Himself, miraculously accomplishes the activity.

GraceHeads live to a standard that LawHeads could not even fathom. For them it is just a matter of doing what is good and avoiding what is bad. For GraceHeads it is a matter of precisely Jesus Christ in this moment, or what falls short of His glory (i.e. sin.)

In short, as we abide in Christ, compelled by His love, then only one thing suits us: Agape - love as God loves, though it is impossible except by the Spirit.

If carnality is deminished, and spirituality is increased, by the Spirit's calling upon Christianity, then in attitude, thought, practice, and deed - those with God's call upon them would manifest the character of God, and what would surprise the spectators would not be kindness, nor charity. What would surprise the spectators is if those that proclaimed Christ would ever once show personal approval or disapproval based on anyone's behavior.

Spectators may still reject the Lord, but they would do so knowing that the Lord that they reject is one whose love they cannot "out-sin."

Even still the goal is not to change others impressions, but rather to "put on Jesus." Or to wear (upon ourselves) activity that does not conceal this love that is place within. And the simple prospect of letting this love loose excites my core being - the inner man mingled with the Spirit of Life.

One could even say that it is for selfish reasons that I turn to the Spirit and wait for His love to be manifest through me ... For there is extreme delight "in it" for me, whether or not the recipients get anything at all from this.

If Christ is in you, putting on Christ does nothing to change what you are ... It reveals what you are. If we be holy, then such holy behavior will change nothing, but it will be such a relief to put aside the unholiness that was disguising our true selves.

To this end I encourage everyone to reveal what they are. If Christ has made you righteous, then put on righteousness ... It will suit you - it will supercharge your life with maximum joy.
If you are of your father the devil, then continue in deceit and lying, for to pretend otherwise "for appearance sake" will drain yourself by pretending to be something that you are not.

Revelation 22:10-12 (NASB)
The Final Message
10And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.
11"Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy."
12"Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.

Still ripening for the harvest,
Trent
www.GraceHead.com

Comments:

Comment from: Len Hummel [Visitor]
Great stuff from you and Pam here. These
are really profound and important insights.

It's really interesting that you concluded with a prophetic Scripture that
I often also quote as a deeply signficant
one for our day and time:

* Revelation 22:10-12 *

Below is what I posted earlier today
over on another forum you often visit:

===========================

Here is where I honestly believe WE PRESENTLY ARE in the world and the churches:

* 2 Timothy 3:1-9; * Micah 7:2-10; * Jeremiah 9:2-9;

and * Revelation 18:2-8.

(it is a very temporary situation)

------------------------------

And HERE is WHERE WE ARE HEADED:

* Daniel 12:1-5, and verse 10; --> Hebrews 12:25-29;

--> 2 Thess.1:4b-12; 2:3-13; --> Romans 8:18-23; and

--> Revelation 22:10b-16; and 21:3-8.

=====================================

- I'm very serious about how SERIOUS this is: it is both my experience of 'the world' and 'the churches,' ... and
a revelation from the Lord Yeshua.

------------------------------------

Always nice to visit your blogsite and
read and learn and hear a confirming
voice.

all the best.
Len
Permalink 02/06/06 @ 04:08
Comment from: joyinexpressible [Visitor]
Hi Trent,

I replied to your reply through your email. If you want to post it here that is fine or I can repost or let it as it is. I'm not sure what I'm doing either...nothing new there!

Whatever the form it takes, I'm always edified by your sharing Jesus in your life and somehow, we always seem to end up on about the same page. I guess that proves that our unity is in Him and not in ourselves!

Love,
Pam
Permalink 02/06/06 @ 10:26

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