Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Christ-realization vs Self-realization

Today as we seek to live our lives for Christ; let us do so with the right strategy in mind.  Let's approach our day to day tasks and situations with courage and the certainty that Christ resides in us.  Our responsibility is to realize the actuality of Christ in us. We are told in Philippians 2:12...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

This is not an instruction for you and I to go out and try to become good enough to get into heaven.  It is not an exhortation for us saints to become Holy through self effort or zeal.  Paul here is encouraging us to focus ourselves and our eternal life strategies on working out the reality of Christ within us, rather than focusing on "self."  It is in essence instructions for us to pursue a life of "Christ-realization" instead of a life of "self-realization."  We are not saved through or by "self," but through and by Christ.   Philippians 2:13 makes it very clear that our salvation is entirely of Christ and that He is the author of our desire to do what is right and holy as well as the means by which it will happen. "For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for Hi good pleasure."

The hard work for us as Christians today is not in learning how to live a sin free or perfect life (for although we all confess that this is impossible-we spend an extraordinary amount of time trying to do just that), but in learning to allow the life of Christ to exhibit Himself through us. Our work is to know Him through His written word (Bible) and the revelation of the Holy Spirt. Hebrews 11:6.... for he who comes to God must believe that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  The secret to "Christ-realization" is for us to begin a life of diligently seeking Christ through His word.