Wed 25 Feb 2009
Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. What do our hearts look like? What should they look like? What does a born-twice heart look like?
Someone I overheard recently was telling that they weren’t sure of a relative’s being a Christian. “I think so, but I’m not really sure. It’s hard to tell.”
Is it really that hard to tell? I’ve wondered about this, because I remember saying the same thing of a former employer who has since passed away - “Well, I think she was because of certain things she said, but I just don’t know.”
Now, if a person goes to church and says the right things, then we are generally more likely to say with certainty - “Yes, that is a Christian.” They don’t cuss, don’t swear, don’t drink alcohol, don’t smoke, don’t skip church, and stay out of trouble. Maybe those are characteristics of a Christian. Tell me what makes them different than any of the rest of “clean” society, who pride themselves on being good.
But ask again - does that person walk in Christ’s footsteps? Walk. In. Footsteps. That doesn’t mean meandering around here and there, tasting and trying society’s flavors of “goodness.” It doesn’t mean having a church membership, or not drinking alcohol, or not they saying “damn.” I would sure as hell rather use society’s “bad words” and walk literally in the footsteps of Christ than to dally here and there in churches and play the world’s game of religion.
Where did Christ walk? Where are you walking? Are you just a Christian, or are you following Christ? Are you a follower of the Way?
Posted by Bonnie under Uncategorized
February 25th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Excellent set of points, Bonnie. We are taking care of an older friend of our family who is now suffering from Azlheimer’s, and we can say with accuracy that he is not saved. (We are praying that especially now, our friend’s heart would be softened.) He has been very set against God and proud of the fact that he has not ‘been saved’ from ’supposed’ sins.
You are very right when you point out the ‘normal’ standards of judging whether salvation has come to a human or not, but there is always fruit…one way or another. Christ living in us, shines through! There is a peace and hope that the world does not have. He calls us to become ‘holy’ (big difference from the holier than thou attitude though) by walking in his ways…maybe ‘purer’ would be a better word for it. Thanks for the thought provoking post!
February 25th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
I’d like to offer an idea, and only an idea. The old man with Alzheimer’s is suffering from more than that. He is totally illogical as well. He cannot be angry, or set against God without believing in Him (my own son hates it when I point this out to him). He also cannot be proud of how he imagines himself to be unsaved unless he believes he is actually somehow *stronger* than the Blood Of The Lamb, which is the only BOT’L I will ever drink (from) again. It is far stronger than any liquor. Period. Nothing you can see is stronger.
That is all. Oh, no it isn’t! Your care in giving care is proof that the Blood is stronger than pride. You are natural to fear that your own love is not enough, and that is why you continue to help him even though he makes it seem hopeless. That’s okay, because it (your own ability, or success) really is not all that is involved, when you try to save someone addicted to his own sinful pride in being sinful. When they do not see how you are helping, you pray even more.
That was the extra extension to the one idea. Okay, that is all, for now.
Bless you, and all the ones you love, Bonnie, my friend!♥♥♥
–g♥
February 26th, 2009 at 1:51 am
“Fruit one way or another” is something I can’t say I ever heard my orchard-tending elderly neighbor ever say about his trees. Some he pruned and some he cut down. Every fall there were bushels of harvest. Nothing about it seemed complicated or subtle.
Jesus makes the matter very simple, too: “There is no good tree that bears rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that bears good fruit.
“For every tree is known from its own fruit; men do not gather figs from thorns, or harvest grapes from brambles. The good man brings forth good from the good treasure house of his heart, and the bad brings forth bad from the bad.
“For out of the fullness of his heart his mouth speaks. Why do you call me Lord Lord and do not what I say?”
And what was Jesus saying to do?
This passage is in his Sermon on the Mount, just after he had pronounced woe to those who make money, woe to those who are full of food, woe to those who laugh, woe to those whom everyone calls the righteous; just after he had said of good deeds among friends and generosity to family and neighbors “Don’t sinners, taxmen do the same!” So what *was* he saying to do?
Be poor, go hungry, weep, be called by everyone a wicked person. Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, praise when you are cursed, pray for those who slander you. When someone hits you, offer yourself to be hit again; when someone steals from you, give him something more. If anyone begs from you, give alms; if anyone borrows from you, do not ask it back.
“But love your enemies and do good and lend without hope of return; and your reward will be great, and you will be the sons of the Highest — because he is good to the ungrateful and the wicked.” Do good and compassionate works to the undeserving and you *will be* sons and daughters of God.
Further: “Truly truly I tell you, he who believes in me will do, he also, the works that I do … .” And what works did Jesus do? “The son of man must suffer much, and be rejected [by the religious], and be killed … .”
He healed, he taught, he denounced the religious; he showed compassion always and spoke truth always; he was houseless, was hated, was forsaken, suffered; he died — he rose to life again, to the right hand of the Father, the triumphant Son of God.
Paul told the Philippian followers, “I first follow him into death so that I may follow him into life” (my paraphrase). There is no other way to follow him to his Kingdom than to follow him through his reproachful life and death.
To be a Christian is convoluted and mystic, the cause of family quarrels, international wars, and endlessly-spawned churches.
To follow Jesus is simple.
March 26th, 2009 at 10:58 am
“Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” This is very true, for how can we know the heart of someone except by his words and actions, as stated in James 1: 19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” It continues ” 26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
Thus we must not let ourselves be polluted by the world.
But Bonnie, by saying “I would sure as hell rather use society’s “bad words” and walk literally in the footsteps of Christ” you are not walking in Christ’s footsteps, for although he walked with the worst of sinners he did not join in their sin. He never used the word hell except for referring to the place. And I’d challenge you to find any “bad word” of society that Jesus used. He could have thrown the first stone because he was without sin, but he didn’t and he didn’t become an adulterer like the accused woman either.
Porter, you have taken two verses from different places in the Matthew and put them together as if they were meant to be.
“For out of the fullness of his heart his mouth speaks. (Mt 12:34) Why do you call me Lord Lord and do not what I say? (Mt 7:21)”
The second is in his Sermon on the Mount as you stated, however the first verse, the one Bonnie quoted is later, in Mathew 12 and I think more of it should be quoted because it does not need any other comment since it is very clear what Jesus was saying:
” 33″Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”