Drunken Mystic

“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.” Acts 26:19-20

What have we done with the message of the gospel?

Are we so afraid of mentioning works that we’ve castrated the message of Christ?

Paul makes it clear, towards the end of his life, that one central message should be preached to all people, Jew and Gentile, and that message was of repentance. Paul even called it the “heavenly vision.”

Repentance means turning from wrong and doing what is right. It is a shift of thinking that corresponds with a shift in behavior. The two are forever linked. Faith without works is not faith at all.

But in our modern American culture, telling people about repentance necessitates telling them they are sinners. That means telling them that they are wrong, that they are not “okay” despite what modern pop psychology tells them. That might make them feel bad about themselves and damage their self-esteem, the great god of modern humanism. But without the realization of sin, there is no conviction, no realization of eternal punishment, no motivation to truly change at our core, no repentance, and therefore no salvation.

Repentance was the message of John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter, and Paul. Have we progressed beyond these men, even the Son of God? It seems like we think we have.

Let’s make the message of Paul’s life clear. He preached repentance AND that works should follow that are appropriate to a true change of heart, and this message is to be preached to all people.

If we are to follow Paul as he follows Christ, then that should be our message also, or else we have lost the “heavenly vision”. Instead we follow an earthly one.

Peace.

If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

This is from Philippians chapter 1, and it gives us a very unique perspective about our existence.

First of all, I find it interesting that Paul desires to be dead. He actually longs to step over into the next life and be gone from here. Why? To be with Christ. Paul lets us know that to be with Christ is better by far.

I wonder how many of us can truthfully say this. Oh, I can’t even come close. But this is the standard of Christianity, that being with Christ in heaven is the most blessed state.

Why do we hesitate so? It frightens us deep in our core to even think such a morbid thing. To desire death? To want to end our life? Isn’t life precious?

It absolutely is, and Paul realizes that the ultimate life is eternal oneness with his creator, lover, friend, priest and king. He will be given a new body able to withstand the full glory of God. He will be like Christ and will see God fully face to face.

And while our heart stirs at such things, our flesh cringes. Too often we hear the flesh too clearly. We justify our search for temporary self-preservation because we think its natural. No one wants to die.

But Paul did.

To be clear, he didn’t really want to die as much as he realized the death of this earthly tent was a means to an end. And what an end.

Paul is not prepared to take his own life to accomplish it, however. If God still has allowed him to live, then Paul supposes a very important reason for his continued participation in the breath of the temporary.

It is to serve and give to others.

This is perhaps the most challenging of statements. Since most of us are in this position, of having some time left on this earth, we have not been given the grace, necessarily, to worry ourselves over our love of this life.

But when we do think of our imminent death, a pattern of thought pervades. We always think in terms of how we wish we would have time for ourselves. It may even be for good things, like that nice career or more time with a loved one or children or that book you want to write or whatever.

Paul’s perspective is quite different. If we are still alive, then our purpose is for the betterment of others, not ourselves. Our lives on this earth, therefore, are meant to be ones of service to others, not self.

Why could Paul say this? Because he was already dead. His statements in Romans and Galatians were not just platitudes or nice words for us to read and repeat. Paul considered his own life over and the rest of his life here as an expression of Christ. How can death scare a man who’s dead already?

To sum up what Paul is saying here: If I had my choice, I would die and be eternally one with Christ. But since I am still alive, God has purpose in it, and His purpose is that I should serve you and others because it is His life flowing in and through me. And I find joy in that, as well.

Peace.