. . . separated to the gospel of God. . . —Romans 1:1
Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. The one all-important thing is that the gospel of God should be recognized as the abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or holiness, or heaven, or hell— it is redemption. The need to perceive this is the most vital need of the Christian worker today. As workers, we have to get used to the revelation that redemption is the only reality. Personal holiness is an effect of redemption, not the cause of it. If we place our faith in human goodness we will go under when testing comes.
Paul did not say that he separated himself, but “when it pleased God, who separated me . . .” (Galatians 1:15). Paul was not overly interested in his own character. And as long as our eyes are focused on our own personal holiness, we will never even get close to the full reality of redemption. Christian workers fail because they place their desire for their own holiness above their desire to know God. “Don’t ask me to be confronted with the strong reality of redemption on behalf of the filth of human life surrounding me today; what I want is anything God can do for me to make me more desirable in my own eyes.” To talk that way is a sign that the reality of the gospel of God has not begun to touch me. There is no reckless abandon to God in that. God cannot deliver me while my interest is merely in my own character. Paul was not conscious of himself. He was recklessly abandoned, totally surrendered, and separated by God for one purpose— to proclaim the gospel of God (see Romans 9:3).
Journal DJR
Good Morning Lord,
Once again I see that “trying to be better” is not the way to go … at least not the thing to try. Getting better and being more Christlike comes as a result of seeking and knowing you, like a by product. Why is this so hard to implement? In my life and the church in general? Is it because it’s easier to throw ourselves into a program or efforts of some kind?
From the beginning temptation has been there to do your own thing. That was Satan’s ploy with Eve … do your own thing, do it your way, Never mind what God said. Wanting to do your own thing is actually part of the way you were created … to be creative, like Me. But it can (will) lead you astray if you are not connected to Me. So stay connected and be as creative as you can. Through our connection, my creativity can flow and when you are doing your own thing, it will really be my thing … our thing. Stay connected. Come to me. Get to know me. It’s really that simple. There is no other cookbook by which you can cook up holiness.
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