A few years ago one of the buzz words in the churches was vision. The question would be asked of pastors and church leaders "what is your vision?"What is your vision for the church, the city, the congregation? Maybe a better question would have been, "what are your goals?" for these areas. I am not suggesting that a vision is bad or not desirable. To be sure the vision question is not without biblical backing. The verse that is sited for this vision question is Proverbs 29:18. "Where there is no vision the people perish vs. 18a KJV. The same verse in the NKJV vs. 18a "Where there is no revelation the people cast off restraint. The ESV. 18a says " Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint. So what is the point? The point is that a goal expressed as a "vision" by a particular church or pastor is not the same thing as a "revelation" or a prophetic "vision". Again there is nothing wrong with a pastor or church leadership board setting goals. The issue, in my view is when these goals are said to be the leader's"vision" for the church. The term vision caster is often used by those in leadership and the people are encouraged to wholeheartedly buy in. Those who may disagree or question the "vision" may be seen as "baggage" or "dead weight ". Those who find themselves in that place may no longer be welcome. Unless that "vision"is centered on Jesus it may bind folks to something that is extra-biblical.
Those who are unbound by revelation are free from such entanglements. I have noticed that the Lord drops revelations on us one at a time, when He deems we are ready for them. How may times have we read over a passage of scripture ,and then one day we read it again and it JUMPS off the page! In a manner of speaking we "see" something we hadn't noticed before. The examples are too many to list, and they range from the very basic to the very deep and profound. I think most of us come to the gospel knowing that we by nature are sinners in need of salvation. When we take the step of faith and recognize Jesus as our savior we are reconciled back to God, by the finished work of Christ on the cross. Even at this elementary stage we have been given revelation or else we would still be lost. Not long after this it is common to begin to wonder how and when we will be changed. After all our our former life was not acceptable to God, now something has to change. It is not uncommon for the new believer to try to be a child of God ,by acting like he or she thinks Christians should act. Usually after struggling for a time they come to the realization that they can't do it. It's been said that the "I can't" admission is what the Lord has been waiting to hear. When we admit that we can't we discover that He can! This is often followed by the revelation that He never intended to change us. His desire is for us to discover that He has Ex-changed us, our old life for His new life in Christ. Once that revelation is in place in our heart and spirit then it is time to hold on there is more to come.
The path to more and deeper revelation is being in His word. As we learn more of Jesus, He delights in taking us to new heights, revealing and confirming who we are. We are His own. In a previous post I mentioned being One with Him from I Corinthians 6:17, a revelation that we are not dual spirited. According to John 5:24 we've passed from death to life even though we're still alive, and we do not come into judgment if we believe in Him who sent Jesus. We are secure in Christ in John 6:37. There is forgiveness for failure I John 1-8 & 9. Life in Christ (with Christ) is our present reality, not just a goal someday. In Philippians 1:22 Paul said "to live is Christ and to die is gain". Take a look at I Peter 3:18b, "being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit". With our spiritual eyes we see ourselves here. We've been put to death with Christ to the flesh and made alive with Him in the spirit! I'm sure you have many of your own revelations which are monumental to your spiritual life. Praise God for them and look for Him to continue blessing you.
Jesus gives us His character as we live in Him. Once we are in Him. He gives us His life One Revelation at a Time!
Grace & Peace, ( scripture reference ESV except where noted)
No comments:
Post a Comment