"Your life is shaped by the end you live for. You were made in the image of what you desire." - Thomas Merton
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." - 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." - 2 Corinthians 4:6
The Bible says that humans were made in God's image (Gen. 1:27). Since I am human, that means I was made that way too . . . and so were you. That image was but a reflection of who God was, but even that image was darkened and covered by the stain of sin - not just sin in the world, but the sin I was a part of personally.
Jesus changed that though. By faith, I live now as a person who is transformed by Jesus Christ and being made new, renewed in God's image. And I reflect that image the more the Holy Spirit has control of my life.
That shapes the end that I live for. That makes me a person who reflects Jesus and a person whose life endeavors to "bring heaven to earth" (Rob Bell). Because I desire this and more and more fashion my life in this direction, the "glory of God in the face of Christ" is made evident in me.
To borrow a line from an old hymn, "This is my story, this is my song . . . "
Does that mean the goal for my salvation is eternity in Heaven? Yes. But that isn't the only goal. In fact, in many ways the focus of my life is to have my face reflect Jesus NOW, not because it makes Heaven more likely, but because it makes Heaven present NOW.
How do you react to this?
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I like it well enough to live it .... and preach it!
ReplyDeleteGreat writing,lends to a great feeling of comfort, and understanding of our relationship to God. that is, except for two statements, both relating to the..heaven on earth...part. Certainly, we, as christians, want to live and be as much like our Lord, in our own lives, and in helping others find their way to Him. But to say "it makes Heaven present now", is a stretch that parts with reality, in my mind.I would want to live just the way I live now, Ithink, if there was no Heaven, but the home He is preparing for me is so much more than we experience here, right?...Well, you said," How do you react to this?" :)
ReplyDeleteThe end I live for; should start at the very beginning of one's life span on earth. If a righteous life is maintained throughout this period, then the hereafter is a done deal. Heaven as we think of it in general terms is the space overhead where the righteous will spend eternity. However, heaven can be any place where a person has the _feeling_ of euphoria. I think.
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ReplyDeleteI think hsm made some great points, but I want to clarify what I mean when I say "bring heaven to earth." I don't mean to suggest that eternal life and life on earth is or will be the same. I am just saying that the life I live will either bring tastes of heaven or hell on earth. Living in and through Jesus should bring tastes and signs of heaven. However, the heaven we will experience is so much greater than we can describe.
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