Absolutely Different

"First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world."

Romans 1:8

Throughout his epistles the apostle Paul writes of his thankfulness to God. Whenever he sees or learns of Christians bearing fruit he remembers to whom belongs the praise. In his letter to the Romans, Paul commends them for their faith which was "being proclaimed throughout the whole world". Imagine what it must have been like to be a Christian in Rome during the time Paul lived; to live in a pagan culture like that. The Roman historian Tacitus writes that into the city of Rome “flow all things that are vile and abominable, and where they are encouraged”. The Christians in Rome were surrounded by gross immorality, yet they themselves lived in such purity that their faith was evident to all those around them, and the positive word about those Christians was spreading far and wide. "The glory of the gospel is that when the church is absolutely different from the world she invariably attracts it." (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones). This is the kind of "absolutely different" we Christians need to be: the kind that attracts people to Christ through their purity.

Pressing Onward

"Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." 

Philippians 3:13-14

If anyone had reason to believe he had "made it", it was the Apostle Paul. A great evangelist, church planter, exhorter, mentor. Paul did it all and did it well. But after all his years of faithful service, he did not see himself as having been transformed into the image of Christ -- of knowing "Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death" (Philippians 3:10). He didn't elaborate on where he didn't measure up, he simply stated that he hadn't yet arrived. Paul always sought to grow in his faith, to press on toward everything to which Christ had called him. And the closer he grew to Christ, the more humble he became. He is a wonderful role model for how we should approach the Christian life. In humility, always pressing forward to the goal of our calling, but never looking back in discouragement at where we've missed the mark. "The Christian life isn’t a 100 yard dash; it’s a lifelong marathon. You need the mentality of a long-distance runner if you’re going to make it. You may have been a Christian for 40 or 50 years, but you can’t start thinking, 'I don’t need to grow any more' and stop running. Long distance runners have to complete the entire course; they can’t decide after many miles that they’ve run far enough." -- Pastor Steven J. Cole

Living Letters

"You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."

2 Corinthians 3:2-3

The faith of the church in Corinth was Paul's letter of recommendation. But Paul was only a tool. The real Author of the Corinthians' faith was Christ. The Spirit of the living God had transformed them. Their faith was written on their hearts and could be read by all. Christ is still writing letters today. The heart of the person who is open to Him, who is willing to give Him her heart as a tablet, will become a beautiful living letter of faith. And all who read that living letter will find something different. Something appealing, that transcends culture and trends. Something that is eternal. Christ wants to write His letter on your heart. Are you willing to let Him?