Jesus, thank you!

Thursday, January 05, 2006

"Art is never finished, only abandoned"

I have two main influences in my life, the influence of Christ, and the influence of the world. To be influenced by Christ, is to be intentional. To be influenced by the world is to be passive. I think too many people limit the idea of worldliness to appearance, but it's much more. I believe that at the center of worldliness is self. When I forget Christ, I start revolving my life around myself. The world is a buffet for self! I won't find anything in the bible to feed selfishness, so it becomes a dead, dry book that isn't life to me, because it doesn't build selfishness in any way. When I am focused on self, I no longer think in terms of eternity. Life becomes about me and the years I have on Earth. If I am not actively seeking Christ through His word, I am going to start making decisions for myself based upon what I see around me. I will make decisions based upon the time table of earthly life. After all, what else is there?

1Pet. 1:14-16 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

I believe Peter was speaking of ignorance of the gospel. He is saying do not go back to living as you did when you were ignorant of Christ. How do people live that don't see the gospel?

2Cor. 5:14-15 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

So a life ignorant of the gospel is self-centered - the characteristic of the lost world. So what are we to do?

Rom. 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

I believe renewal here is not a focus on, but a constant awareness of our need for change as we see our lives through the truth of scripture. We don't change then stay, we stay changing. When we get out of transform mode, we revert back to conform mode. Neutral quickly becomes reverse. Leonardo DaVinci once said, "Art is never finished, only abandoned". Although this way of thinking didn't benefit DaVinci, I believe it does well to describe what I believe this verse is telling me. I believe to constantly be renewing my mind, means that I have to know that I will never be perfect in this life, so the fight must go on. I continually have to refocus on the gospel. I must constantly go from seeing the cross as a relic from the past, to seeing it alive in my life today. If I don't see the urgency of continual change, I will not change, but comfortably settle back into old ways. Lord, please continue to transform me as I behold you!

1Cor. 15:31 I protest, brothers, by umy pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, vI die every day!

Posted by Jeremy Turner :: 9:29 AM :: 4 comments