“It is not imitation that makes sons; it is son-ship that makes imitators.” (Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians – 1519, p. 263)
When we have diffused all hope in our own goodness, been thoroughly disappointed in ourselves, become without any other hope than that we must be God’s workmanship or else, then, we can – through faith in Him – do all the things we thought possible when we first became a Christian.
A man of God must learn to be dead to any hope of independence from God. Many of us have lived sickened by perhaps years of dissonance: believing, but not realizing that faith alone brings that victory.
The Holy Spirit keeps assuring us, keeps drawing us beneath the blood of Jesus for cleansing and refreshing: He waits for us.
The shame, all of which Jesus scorned while on the cross is rooted in our desire for excellence and our failure of it. Jesus graciously and independent of our efforts exchanged for us (my) sin so I might receive, His righteousness.
We cannot achieve righteousness – certainly not in perfection. We cannot achieve; but we can receive.
At the first we received forgiveness. We must also receive the Holy Spirit. Because we cannot “walk” in human nature’s strength, we will sin.
But, “If we walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).
We can be spectators; we had no input. The gift of life is everyman’s gift. We can commit suicide many ways, but we cannot erase the fact that life was to us gifted to us and not of our own doing.
Religion evolved and whole cultures grabbed at the straws of superstition, of ignorance, of feigned self-righteousness, there is no righteousness except it is given by the righteous One. Every one of us is as a spoiled apple: we already sinned.
Why would we not want our sin washed away? Why would we not want to be reborn and made sons of God? Every effort of reform which has come on earth through government has been focused on a future we never see and although promised, never happened.
The greatest reform which brought the greatest civility earth has enjoyed was hand carried, not especially in the name of Christianity; but by men who had become imitators of Christ because they had become sons of God: Luther was right. He was born again. He became a son of God when He heeded that “The just (must) live by faith” (Hebrews 10:38).
Trusting Jesus involves first receiving Him, but He left the visible scene. He is the true Interceder for men, the Holy Spirit. “He will lead you into all truth,” Jesus promised. (John 16:13)
To be led we must follow. To hear is not the same as to heed. We can grieve the Holy Spirit; lie to the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 4:30 – Acts 5:3)
The Christian life is a relationship that occurs one-on-one with Him. Imitators of Christ are not imposters.
We call it imitation, because we realize that this is nothing of the natural man: it is miracle brought to us by grace.
He did not leave us alone, nor leave us as orphans, He abides in us. Foolish minds distinguish what they call ‘natural’ from the ‘supernatural.’
By Him all things consist and without Him nothing does. (Colossians 1:17)
So, we live our lives through faith, as though we imitate. We do not live by the appearances our minds conjure.
This is the victory that overcame the world, brought civil life into the Western Hemisphere – with it “Christian” values.” It is the victory that must overcome in the face today, of renewed opposition.
“Rise up, oh men of God” your hour has now arrived.
Buddy