My Beloved is Mine!

There are few books I have read which are as poetic, expansive, and thrilling as His Part and Ours by J. Sidlow Baxter.  To meet a man who knows of God is common:  to peer into the heart of a man who knows God is a rare privilege.  Here is a passage which should cause the heart of every follower of Christ to be enraptured with appreciation and love for our Savior:

"My Beloved is mine, and I am His" - this is a complete union.  The bridegroom and the bride have given themselves fully to each other.  Christ has given Himself fully to His mystic bride.  Christ is mine in all His offices and capacities - in His incarnation, in His teaching, in His redeeming, in His resurrection life, in His exaltation, in His second advent and the glory of His coming reign, yea, and in all the blessedness of His eternal glory!  He is altogether mine.  O the wonder of it!  My heart, what of thy present response to all this?  Truly thou art Christ's by unmistakable bonds; but hast thou completed thy part by giving thyself up entirely to Him here and now?

"My beloved is mine, and I am His" - this is a complex union.  Shalamith's beloved is Israel's sovereign.  To be His bride is to sustain a variety of relationships.  So is it with the believer and his royal Lord.  It takes a complexity of metaphors to express such a unique union.  Christ is the head and we are the body - for it is a living union.  Christ is the bridegroom and we are the bride - for it is a loving union.  Christ is the foundation and we are the building - for it is a lasting union.  Christ is the vine and we are the branches - for it is a fruitful union.  Christ is the Firstborn and we are His brethren - for it is a union of joint-heirship.  But we must forbear.  There is no more wonderful study in Scripture than that of our complex union with the Son of God.

"My Beloved is mine" - that word "mine," does it not speak the fact that Jesus belongs to His people individually?  He is not just ours.  He is mine.  I may have Him as though there were none other in heaven or on earth beside me.  Again, when the bride says, "My Beloved is mine," is she not speaking out of a real experience of what she affirms?  And cannot I, too, say that Jesus is mine by conscious, personal experience, by the indwelling of His Spirit within my heart?  O how much more remains to be said about this exclamation of Solomon's typical bride which we cannot stay to say here!  We cannot resist a further glance at that possessive pronoun, however - "My Beloved."  Like a bee which comes back again and again to the same flower, we find our eyes turning back again and again to that word.  O the unutterable sense of blessedness which fills the heart when we take that word upon our lips!  "MY Beloved is MINE" - what a world in a word!"  - quoted from His Part and Ours, Baxter, page 147-148

The Body at Work

There is beauty in a body functioning at a high level.  It is amazing to see the abilities of an athlete on display, whether it be an Olympic diver, a NFL running back, or a cheer captain.  There is control, poise, and grace that most do not naturally posses.  It takes years of practice and refinement to condition a human body to operate perfectly in sync with the mind.  Coaches know exactly what to do, but are typically unable to combine their knowledge with the raw talent required to be world-class athlete.  There is a big difference between knowing what to do and perfect execution of that knowledge.

It is interesting that when a person is born again of the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ, this person becomes part of His Body.  Paul says in Ephes. 4:15-16:  "...speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- [16] from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."  So Christ is the Head and all the true followers of Christ, though scattered throughout the whole world, are knit together in Him and work together.  This is an amazing concept.  This scripture reveals much about how the church Body functions.

The human body is constantly repairing cells, replacing old cells, and generating new cells.  It takes all these cells working together for the body to be healthy, strong, and functional.  Every cell has a distinct function in the body to serve the same purpose:  the health of the body.  In the same way, every Christian is part of the church.  Though people may have distinct functions or roles in the body, the purpose remains the same:  the glory of God.  Consider these points concerning how this principle applies to our lives:

• "...joined and knit by what every joint supplies..."  The degree to which we are united with Christ will determine the closeness of fellowship we have with other believers.  God supplies the strength, and we must willingly offer ourselves to be used by Him in the process.  Though your life God desires to add strength to the Body.  Conversely, we can choose to lead a life which weakens the Body through a poor witness, delight in controversy, or when we allow ourselves to be divided.  Instead of living as peaceably we can with others, we can be at war over petty issues and destroy the unity God intends.

• "...according to the effective working by which every part does its share..."  Every part of the Body of Christ has a role to embrace.  Have you sought what your role is in the church?  I am not talking about a duty placed upon you by men, but a function placed upon you by God.  God has given you unique talents, gifts, and a calling to pursue that His name would be glorified.  The function of the Body is effective when all do their part, just like how the cells of a healthy human body work together.  Do you have a passion which results in God receiving praise?  If the glory of God is your motivation you will not go wrong.  You will make mistakes, but it is no mistake to pursue God's calling upon your life with passion and abandon to His will.

• "...causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."  When the body is working effectively, it will grow properly.  When the church is functioning in tandem with the Head (who is Christ), it will also grow.  Growth occurs in two primary ways:  spiritual maturity in the individual parts which will likely increase the number of true followers of Christ.  As we as individuals grow, we are more apt to be bold for our Savior in seeking to save the lost.  Faith and boldness for Christ go together.  When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will exude the love of Jesus towards all.  When Christ is glorified the Body is edified in His love.  The converse is also true:  when we are edified through the love of Jesus, Christ is glorified.  This is a kind of love we must allow God to cultivate within us and spread to all.

Last night my family and I were the recipients of such love.  My sister Mel and her husband Robert hosted a gathering for us at their house to see us off to Sydney, assisted by seemingly countless people who unselfishly gave of their time and resources to make it an amazing success.  I was so blessed by the love of God shown through the actions of friends and family.  Having a party was not my idea, and frankly I am still clueless as to all that was given and sacrificed by people out of love for God and our family.  But what a great example of the Body of Christ at work!  Some donated items for an auction, others prepared food, chairs and tables were set up, invitations were sent out, and many people came!  Handshakes, smiles, and hugs were plentiful throughout the day.  Interest in our Australia plans was high.  Prayers were offered, encouragement given, and support supplied.  The whole party was not the doing of one person.  If it had been my job to organize and prepare for such an event it would have been shabby at best.

But see the wisdom of God in ordaining people with various gifts, resources, and heart-felt desire to make such an event happen!  How good it is that you do not need to be a wonderful cook to have a place in Christ's Body, nor do you need to be totally organized or financially wealthy.  God wants to use us right where we are for His purposes.  Whether support is given with a hug or a check, both are an acceptable sacrifice in the eyes of God.  My family and I thank every one of you who contributed in any way to yesterday's "bon voyage" party, even those who could only attend in spirit.  Your love was tangible, deeply felt, and appreciated.  Praise God for the love of Christ!

No Revision Required

Among Christian leaders today, there are few books save the Bible that have been more influential or universally appreciated than Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders.  Years ago I read the book and was not impressed.  I am horrified to say that until quite recently I have misjudged Sanders.  Why?  It is because the book I read was not actually written by J. Oswald Sanders.  Was his name on the cover?  Yes.  But I admit that I am indignant of the wretched (my opinion) paraphrase that has been attributed to him by the editors at Moody Press.  The second revision, which are all copies printed after 1994, is a "line-by-line revision."  Why they thought it necessary to butcher the latest edition in the process, I will never know.  What I do know is that this revision is a shadow of what J. Oswald Sanders actually wrote.  The original and first revision by Sanders are powerful, inspired, and dynamic.

You be the judge.  Here is a passage from the 1st revision printed in 1989:

Self-sacrifice is part of the price that must be paid daily.  A cross stands in the way of spiritual leadership, a cross upon which the leader must consent to be impaled.  Heaven's demands are absolute.  "He laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 John 3:16).  The degree to which we allow the cross of Christ to work in us will be the measure in which the resurrection life of Christ can be manifested through us. "Death worketh in me, but life in you."  To evade the cross is to forfeit leadership.  (page 142)

Here is the same paragraph rendered toothless and impotent in the second revision by editors in 1994:

This part of the cost must be paid daily.  A cross stands in the path of spiritual leadership, and the leader must take it up.  "Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down or lives for our brothers" (1 John 3:16).  To the degree the cross of Christ is across our shoulders and over our backs, so the resurrection life of Christ is manifest through us.  No cross, no leadership. (page 116)

Frankly, I am outraged that anyone in the cause of "revising Spiritual Leadership for the Christian living today" (page 9, 2nd revision, 1994) could do such a thing.  You have failed in this instance, Moody Press.  I regret to think of all the time spent trashing a Christian classic.  I am no literary expert, and my meager education perhaps does not afford me the right to say anything on the matter.  But I know this:  classics do not need revision.  The editors write, "Although we have changed the wording extensively, we have remained faithful to the original meaning and intent of each passage" (pages 9-10).  Based upon the examples cited above, I doubt anyone would agree with you.  What would John Oswald Sanders say?

This is a classic example of building on slippery sand.  J. Oswald Sanders built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ and a lifetime of experience following Him.  The editors at Moody built upon the foundation of Sanders.  It is faulty in this instance, and will always remain the case.  I am angry about this injustice.  Worse than this however, think how people have paraphrased the Word of God!  I am not a hard-core "KJV only" man, but with the abundance of paraphrased volumes of "scripture" these days the risk for error is horrible.  Classics need no revision.  The Bible should be translated straight out of the original texts.  I like the fact I can refer to the Strong's Concordance and know the Hebrew or Greek behind the English I read in my Bible.  A single word of God is mightier than all the volumes composed and revised by men combined.

The lesson?  Choose your books carefully.  Pay attention to when the book was written and who revised it.  If you own a copy of Spiritual Leadership printed after 1994, throw it away and buy a 1st edition copy used from Alibris.com or something!  Most of all, make sure the Bible you hold in your hands is the Word of God.  Use the translations which have withstood the test of time, not the remix or flavor of the month.  Don't read versions which intentionally blunt the power of the original.  The Bible is already relevant.  If we are not agreeable to the Word of God, it's not the Word's fault:  it's us.

Walking with Us

I've been working nights this week, and the hours are exceptional to wreak havoc on my daily schedule and writing routine!  I'm looking forward to the weekend when I can spend time with the family.  It's been nice to see Laura a bit during the day, but I have not seen my kid's faces since Monday.  In a word, LAME.

I was encouraged yesterday during my morning devotional time.  I'm in the book of Deuteronomy, and it ranks high among my personal favorites.  Deuteronomy 2:7 reads, "For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing."  Here are the initial impressions God placed upon my heart:

This is not presumption, for God knows His people.  He can say, "Thou hast lacked nothing" because He provided for every need all along the way, never skipping a day.  He does not say, "That's good enough for you!" but "You lacked nothing because I know you and your needs, and I abundantly supplied them."  What kind of God is it who does not know?  No god at all.  Notice that God does not require His people to find Him (for they never could alone) but goes with them always.  This is how he maintains such intimate knowledge of His people, their trials, needs, and desires.  Has not our God said, "I am with you always?"  God does not abandon His people in their time of great need:  He remains with them.  He blesses them along the way, though they are in the wilderness.  He does not leave in times of hardship or appear only at the oasis - He IS an oasis of life, constantly affirming, providing, protecting, and sustaining His own.  While for forty years they walked, God walked among them.  All the works of our hands are blessed when God shines His gracious presence upon us.

I am reminded of the Psalm 23 passage:  "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me."  The world must run to their gods and idols, vainly pursuing what always eludes their grasp.  Religion after religion is filled with the proud trappings of man doing something to obtain favor or an audience with God through suffering or sacrifice.  Christianity is different from them all, because our Savior Jesus Christ has come to us as a suffering sacrifice for our sin.  While people frantically are trying to bring peace on earth through political process, philanthropy, and education, Jesus has become our peace through repentance and faith in Him.  Instead of leaving us alone He has sent the Holy Spirit as our Helper and Comforter, and has set up in our hearts His kingdom.  This is made clear in Luke 17:20-21:  "Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; [21] nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  Christ will one day set up His physical kingdom on earth after His return.  To partake in the glory of that kingdom He must first usher that kingdom into our hearts through faith and the power of the Gospel.

Amazing, to have a relationship with the KING of Kings!  Through technology we can have a semblance of "closeness" or connectivity to those we love.  Phone and video calls bring the face and voice of those far away into our own room.  But the reality is they are still not close.  They remain sometimes thousands of miles away.  That little window of time of communication can provide so much relief from anxiety:  how much more peace and comfort can be received from the indwelling presence of God within our hearts?  The most advanced "smart" phone is as crude and unsophisticated as smoke signals compared to the connection we share with God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.  He will never leave us or forsake us.  Jesus came to seek and save the lost.  Praise God for that truth!  He is with us whether we trudge through the wilderness or through the valley of the shadow of death.  Let us follow Him in wonder!