Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The Humility of a New Nature


Gal 6:14
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Gal 6:15
For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

There is nothing more "in-your-face" than Christianity. No other system tells it like it is, bringing home the stark reality that you are right now, without Christ, utterly hideous and disfigured, and that no amount of worldly posturing can cover that fact. It is unacceptable to the self-made man. It is laughable to the achiever. It is mockery to the successful. But it is the sweet news of hope to the underdog.

You see, the underdog does not like what he sees when he turns the periscope upon himself. He sees a man desperately in need of change. While he once defined comeliness in terms of materialism, now a higher standard beckons, and he knows within his heart of hearts that he cannot meet this standard. It's not that he has failed in the world's pursuits that he now resorts to this new "toy", true as that may be, but that his whole view on life has been radically altered and a new passion burns within him. The allure of glory and gold has waned and now God is the apple of his eye. This paradigm shift is a supernatural work of God. It is the chief work of the Holy Spirit to the praise and glory of Christ and the Father, and only the underdog is its beneficiary.

The underdog boasts only of Christ who is able to make his nature Christ's nature, for this is his chief desire. He now sees that his very existence owes itself to the production of this nature in himself and that nothing else matters; nothing else matters but Christ formed. This is humility.

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