Dealing With Chronic Negativity: Part One

Mick Turner

Have you ever known a person who just seemed to live under a dark cloud all the time; someone who, no matter how bright a day might be, is constantly scanning the horizon for the first sign of a stray cloud? I have known more than a few sincere believers over the years that could easily fit this definition of a chronically negative individual.

In fact my mother was such a person and, as a direct result of growing up in a home where the positive aspects of life were rarely stressed, I became such a person as well. I say this not to place judgment or blame; only to state a fundamental fact. By the grace of God and the blessed leading of the Holy Spirit, I was eventually able to turn this pattern around and now, thankfully, I am better equipped to create a positive atmosphere for my own children.

Turning around a chronically negative mindset, however, is not an easy endeavor. In my case, it required a complete sense of dedication and determination to confront my negative mental framework and to make every possible effort to intervene in my pessimistic thinking and consistently replace negative thoughts and explanations about my life with more positive, optimistic thoughts. In and of myself, I could have never done this. I needed help and a lot of it.

This help came in the form as promised by scripture. My assistance came from the Holy Spirit. Scripture tells us, and I have found this to be quite true, that the Holy Spirit works to transform us into the likeness of Christ. If you desire to deal with a chronic sense of negativity in your life, you have to start with the Holy Spirit. Pray daily, more often if necessary, asking the Holy Spirit to intervene in your thought life and to empower you to become a more optimistic person. He can do it and he will do it.

If we go to scripture we quickly see that God intends for us to have mastery over our thought life. The Bible, in both the Old and New Testament, reminds us repeatedly that we are to focus on the positive aspects of life and be quick to stop negativity in its tracks before it has a chance to take root. Paul tells us that we are to cast down every wrong imagination and take into captivity every wrong thought.” (2 Cor. 10:5). The Apostle is giving us wise, sound advice here, telling us to avoid dwelling on negative thoughts and be quick to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. This is not rocket science, just plain old common sense.

Satan would prefer that we do the opposite. Our enemy would much prefer that we dwell on the negative to the point of obsession. The more energy we pour into the negative aspects of our thought life, the stronger this darkness will become. If we allow this to continue long enough, a “stronghold” will be formed in our minds and believe me, strongholds are troublesome and hard to remove. A stronghold is basically a “firmly fixed falsehood” that has been erected in our minds. A true stronghold colors how we view the world and how we react to the events that occur in our lives. Basically, a stronghold is a negative matrix through which we interpret life in a false, negative manner.

Joel Osteen refers to these vicious mental land mines as “rivers of negativity.” Commenting on the formation and tenacity of strongholds, Osteen says:

You may have dug a deep river of negativity and it’s going to take a strong will to change. That river wasn’t formed overnight, nor will it be redirected without some conscious, strenuous effort on your part. God will help you, but you are going to have to make quality decisions every day, choosing the good, rejecting the bad. Determine to keep your mind set on the good things of God. Start expecting good things to happen. Get up each day knowing that God has great things in store for you…..When you are going through a tough time in your life, even if you don’t feel like keeping a positive attitude – which at times you probably won’t – you should do it anyway, knowing that every minute you allow yourself to lapse into a negative attitude is a minute that God cannot work in that situation.

It is very easy to allow our thinking to grow negative when we are faced with difficulties and unexpected events. Still, it is at these times that keeping an optimistic focus is crucial. We have to recognize that the enemy is always on watch, ready to pounce upon us when we are at our weakest. As Peter tells us, Satan prowls about like a hungry lion, looking for someone to devour. We can put the Prince of Lies on a crash diet if we only keep in mind that God is there for us, especially during our difficult times. It is those people who can maintain a positive focus, even when life is not so good, that ultimately succeed. I.V. Hilliard calls these kinds of folks “maximizers.” Hilliard says:

 

Maximizers are those who possess the strength of character that enables them to keep believing, keep planning, keep thinking, and keep working to experience their full potential in face of less than optimal conditions.

 

Hilliard’s book Living the Maximized Life is excellent and I would highly recommend that you read it. There are many pearls to be harvested, such as:

 

Maximizers, like all people, eventually reach a “breaking point,” but instead of breaking down, they break through, which is a matter of choice.

 

The vital question becomes: “How do I learn to recognize chronic negativity in my thought life and, equally important, how do I intervene in order to make positive changes?

 

There are no simple answers to this vital question, but the fact is we can make those positive changes if we have a connection with our source of power, the proper technology, and a high-octane fuel to carry us forward. Our source of power is the Holy Spirit, the technology is easily understood and applied, and our fuel is faith. We will discuss these themes in Part Two.

(c) L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved

Strange Peas in a Pod: Sharon Stone and John Hagee

Mick Turner

The recent comments by Sharon Stone regarding the Dalai Lama, Karma, and the earthquake in China has got my dander up just a tad. If you are familiar with this blog, you know that I have a strong affection for and connection with the Chinese people. I served on the mission field over there for five-plus years; my wife is Chinese; and we have family and friends all over China.

In case you didn’t hear her brick-headed comments, actress Sharon Stone suggested that the suffering caused by the recent earthquake in Sichuan Province was the result of “karma”, gleaned from the fact that the Chinese government “has not been nice to my friend the Dalai Lama.” Good Grief!!!!

What Ms. Stone fails to understand is that, even if one subscribes to the notion of karma, it doesn’t work quite the way she states it. First of all, it is the Chinese government, not the Chinese people who have a problem with the Dalai Lama and the whole Tibetan issue. The central government didn’t suffer so much as a result of the disaster, but the Chinese people surely did. At last count, over 69,000 dead and the toll is still rising. Also, in her myopic vision, Ms. Stone also fails to realize that, outside of Tibet, the largest population of Tibetans in China is in the mountain areas of Sichuan, the very epicenter of the earthquake. I dare say that there were quite a few Tibetans in those 69,000.

In the wake of her comments, the people of China are in an uproar. Movie theaters in China now refuse to carry her movies, and she has I think three or four new releases coming out over the next two years. So now, Ms. Stone will not profit from the largest population of movie goers in the world. Now that, my friends, is karma!

Stone’s comments are similar to those made by John Hagee on the heels of Hurricane Katrina. Hagee said that the disaster was a result of God’s wrath over an upcoming parade celebrating homosexuality. I find it ironic that Jesus, who Hagee says is his Lord, stated that “if you have seen me you have seen the Father.” Hmmmm. Let’s see, I don’t recall Jesus unleashing a hurricane on the woman caught in adultry or the Samaritan woman at the well. No, he exhibited a God of grace, not a God of retribution.

Do you see the similarities between Stone and Hagee? Both are suggesting that these disasters came about as a result of some sort of cosmic retribution. In Hagee’s case, it was God who was miffed. In the case of Stone, it was an impersonal but equally nasty force at work.

In either case, I am saddened by these comments. It is a shame, really it is.

Encountering Sacred Silence

Mick Turner

I have always been an early riser and consider this a bit of a blessing. I have found that in those early morning hours, especially during the period of time leading up to dawn, I am at my best in terms of being able to quiet down, allow myself to be restful, and when so blessed, hear the Spirit speaking to my soul. I thank God for these moments and have learned to count on them for both spiritual nourishment and divine consolation.

 

I know that not all of you are “morning people.” Studies have shown that some folks are at their best in the evening, or even late at night. If you are one of the people wired in that manner, I hope that you have found a way to be with God during that peak time in your biology. The benefits of such an endeavor are countless.

 

I want to share an experience I had during one of my pre-dawn quiet times. I think it might serve as an example of how the Lord often speaks to us when we are sensitive to those times when we might most readily hear his voice. This particular experience also points to the reality that the blessed silence is often the venue in which the voice of the Spirit is most audible. At least, I have found this to be so.

 

One Sunday morning, as is my habit, I arose early. I spent time asking God to speak to me regarding an issue I had been struggling with for some time. As is often the case, my tampering with this problem eventually led me to a state of perplexed paralysis.  It was an issue related to how I was to proceed with one aspect of my professional life.

 

After praying, I sat quietly and gradually began to feel the peace of God fall over me. It was nothing earth shattering and no burning bushes spoke to me, nor did any donkeys give utterance, but I had a palatable sense of God’s presence. This is significant in that it had been months since I had felt any sense of God’s light in my life. It seemed that in my busyness, God had somehow gone on sabbatical. I longed for his touch, even if only brief and subtle. I was, in essence, in a stark period of spiritual dryness.

 

 I had several books at my side that I had been reading prior to my prayer time. I opened one of the books and soon came across these words by the French mystic Francois Fenelon:

 

Be silent and listen to God. Let your heart be in such a state of preparation that His Spirit may impress upon you such virtues that will please Him. Let all within you listen to Him….

 

Now comes the good part!

 

Don’t spend your time making plans that are just cobwebs – a breath of wind will come and blow them away. You have withdrawn from God and now you find that God has withdrawn the sense of His presence from you. Return to Him and give Him everything without reservation. There will be no peace otherwise. Let go of all you plans – God will do what He sees best for you.

 

Fenelon’s words hit me between the eyes like a Louisville Slugger. I knew immediately what I needed to do, even if it was going to be difficult. Like Abraham and Sarah, I had grown impatient waiting on God’s timing and gave birth to an Ishmael. I needed to return to God, wait in silence, and trust his promise of an Isaac. Basically, in my own anxiety and uncertainty of potential outcomes, I took charge of the situation and ended up at what seemed a dead end.

 

Trusting God to guide us and lead us to the place we need to go is not an easy proposition. This is especially true for those of us who are used to “making things happen.” I made the decision that Sunday morning to let the entire project go. I put it in God’s hands and, in his time, not mine, the situation worked out better than I could have ever manipulated on my own.

 

Of equal significance was the validation of the importance of encountering the “Sacred Silence” in my spiritual life. My hectic schedule and my mental strategy sessions had left little time for being still. I now make silent meditation or, if you prefer, contemplative prayer, the foundational practice of my spiritual life. If I neglect this practice, I rapidly become like a thirsty elephant trumpeting around a dried up waterhole.

 

Countless Christians have stressed the importance of regularly entering this sacred space of blessed silence, for it is in this space that we are renewed, refreshed, and more significantly, encounter that “still, small voice” that carries the message of our true source of knowledge and inspiration. I am especially drawn to the words Quaker writer Thomas Kelly, in his classic work A Testament of Devotion, uses to describe that inner sanctum that is so vital to our spiritual formation:

 

Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continuously return. Eternity is at our hearts, pressing upon our time-torn lives, warming us with intimations of an astounding destiny, calling us home unto Itself. Yielding to these persuasions, gladly committing ourselves in body and soul, utterly and completely, to the Light Within, is the beginning of true life. It is a dynamic center, a creative Life that presses to birth a casts new shadows and new glories upon the face of men. It is a seed stirring to life if we do not choke it. It is the Shekinah of the soul, the Presence in the midst. Here is the Slumbering Christ, stirring to be awakened, to become the soul we clothe in earthly form and action. And He is within us all.

 

Kelly’s words are truly powerful and hold much meaning if one takes the time to really reflect upon what he is getting at. One-third of the Godhead has been placed in each of us, and is there for our guidance, direction, and assistance. It is for this reason that Christ told us: Abide in me….

 

However, we have to learn to be still enough to hear his voice and, further, be able to understand the language he speaks. This process takes time and discipline and only you can make the decision to begin and apply the will to continue. The question is: Will you do it?

 

Over the next few days, spend time examining your own life. Are you in a similar predicament? Is there an area where you are spinning your wheels, going nowhere? Go back and meditate on Fenelon’s words, and then go to God in prayer and wait in silence. And please, don’t skip or skimp on the silence. This is the place of quiet; the place of both emptiness and yet fullness; a place of paradox. In this reverberating silence, you will eventually here your answer and, beyond that, find your purpose. It is in this silent space that you will not only hear your song, you will learn how to sing it.

 

© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved.

 

Wise Words for Today

We need to learn this scriptural principle that the Holy Spirit works in us to enable us to live lives pleasing to God. He does not do the work for us, rather, He enables us to do the work. We often use the expression, “Let the Lord live His life through me.” I am personally uncomfortable with this expression because it suggests a passivity on our part. He does not live His life through me. Rather, as I depend on Him, He enables me to live a life pleasing to Him…..It is the idea that we can do nothing but trust that is particularly troubling to me. I believe that the psalmist – and Nehemiah and Paul – would say, “Man’s part is to trust and work. God’s part is to enable the man or woman to do the work.” Or perhaps it is more  helpful to say, “Our part is to work, but to do so in reliance upon God to enable us to work.” God’s work does not make our work unnecessary, but rather makes it effective. Paul did not say, “Christ shows contentment through me.” Rather, he said, “I have learned to be content through Him who gives me strength.”

Jerry Bridges

(from The Discipline of Grace)

Wise Words for Today

Cover via Amazon

I’ve seen men and women who discipline themselves for the purpose of excelling in their profession discipline themselves very little “for the purpose of godliness.” I’ve seen Christians who are faithful to the church of God, who frequently demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for the things of God, and who dearly love the Word of God, trivialize their effectiveness for the Kingdom of God through lack of discipline. Spiritually they are a mile wide and an inch deep. There are no deep, time-worn channels of communing discipline between them and God. They have dabbled in everything but disciplined themselves in nothing.

Donald Whitney

(from Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life)

Christian Identity and Holistic Optimism: Enjoying Life

Mick Turner

I have a dear friend by the name of Chuck, who I have known for many years. Chuck and I met during our junior year in college and, although our paths have led us to different parts of the world at times, we have always maintained contact over the years and see one another whenever we get a chance.

 

Back in November of last year, I had the opportunity to visit with my old friend when he came back to this part of the country to teach a week-long workshop for local church administrators. A long-time believer, Chuck takes his faith quite seriously – in fact – perhaps too seriously. Raised in a strict, legalistic denomination, Chuck carried quite a bit of unnecessary, negative baggage into his adult life and, as a result, has had a difficult time coming to accept the fact that God might indeed want him to enjoy life. Over the years, I have discovered that my friend Chuck is not alone.

 

More than a few Christians go through their days as if dark clouds were hanging over their heads and exhibiting a countenance that indicated they began each day being baptized in vinegar. I recall that on one memorable occasion Chuck’s wife Jill bluntly stated that if her husband ever smiled, he would probably sprain his jaw.

 

Both scripture and common sense screams that this is not what God intended for his children. The Christian life was meant to be a joyous affair instead of an ordeal to be endured. Granted, life will always have its difficulties, but even when we face trials, I believe that God desires that we do so with as much optimism and hope as possible.

 

Personally, I have come to believe that one of the fundamental keys to a life of Christian optimism is to have positive expectations based on scripture and the integrity of God.

 

Think about it. In Romans Paul tells us that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God. In and of itself, that promise should keep us in a positive frame of mind, even during times of difficulty and trial. In case you are not familiar with this passage, or if you have forgotten it, let’s take a look at what Paul says in Romans 8: 38-39

 

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NLT)

 

If we trust God and believe what scripture tells us, then we have every right to be completely optimistic about the present and the future. This is not a false, “pie in the sky” optimism nor is it a Pollyanna style denial of reality. No, this biblical optimism is based entirely on scripture and God’s character. God is a being of integrity and further, he cannot lie. Our optimism is based on the firm foundation of God’s promises and his character.

 

The enjoyment of life flows from trusting God and, through that trust, to have positive expectations in life. We have every right to believe deep in our hearts that God truly desires our happiness because he is the Father of Lights and we are Children of the Light. Indeed, scripture affirms that God wishes that we “prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” (3 John 1:2)

 

This has nothing to do with what has come to be known as the “prosperity gospel.” Here I think John is speaking of the fact that God desires our happiness and enjoyment of life and that we prosper in life. Yes, this can mean financial wealth, but it can also mean emotional and spiritual wealth. We have every right to expect the best because God wants the best for his children.

 

John mentions here the fact that our soul prospers. What is he talking about? In brief, as humans we are tripartite beings, meaning that we have three aspects to our being. Just as God exists as a Trinity, in a real sense, so do we. Our three-part make up consists of body, soul, and spirit. The soul consists of our mind, our emotions, and our will. God’s original intention was that our spirit be in the driver’s seat and in direct communication with God. Based on this divine connection, our spirit governed our soul and our bodies. Due to the Fall, this arrangement was distorted and, because of our spiritual death, it became necessary that the soul take up the command of our lives. The results of this, of course, are quite negative and adverse to God’s intentions.

 

When we accepted Christ into our hearts, ideally the original order of things was restored, at least on a spiritual level. When we live from our spirit (walk according to the Spirit, not the flesh), our soul does indeed prosper and we can enjoy life and expect the best.

 

Having positive expectations based on scriptural promises, leads to a realistic and practical optimism that impacts all aspects of life. Further, this practical optimism allows us to better enjoy life, even at times when things may not be going as we might desire. We know that God wants our best, he wants us to prosper and enjoy life, and that nothing can possibly separate us from his love. How can we justify anything less than positive expectations? To expect less or to expect the worst is an insult to God in that we do not trust his promises or his character.

 

I remember saying these things to Chuck across a plate of pasta last November and, at least for a few moments, he did crack a genuine smile. I forgot to ask Jill if his jaw was sore the following day.

(c) L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved

Wise Words for Today

Our world today is in desperate need of vision. Even a casual look at the prevailing conditions in our twenty-first century world is enough to produce fear, hopelessness, uncertainty, insecurity, emotional and social trauma, depression, disillusionment, discouragement, and despair. The threat of economic collapse, social disintergration, moral decay, religious conflict, political instability, global health epidemics, ethnic cleansing, and the clash of civilizations demands leadership that can see beyond the now into a preferred future, that has the skill to transfer that vision into reality, and that has the courage to inspire us to go there.

Dr. Myles Munroe

(from The Principles and Power of Vision)

Wise Words for Today

The future does not lie with denominations but with base communities. Those very  theological arguments that kept so many Protestants and Catholics literally at one another’s throats for the past four centuries are passe. No one cares anymore. Can you name any 20-some-year-old who can tell you the difference between a Methodist and a Presbyterian, an Anglican and a Roman Catholic? Denominationalsim is no longer an issue. An that is a good thing, for denominationalism, like racism and sexism and adultism, has to be held accountable for its many sins over the centuries. Today, though we can admit that we are living in a post-denominational time. While traditions and local roots matter, these are all traditions spelled with a small “t.” They are relative; they are human-made (though often spirit-inspired in the past); they are socially constructed realities; they can be mined for their wisdom; and let go of.

Matthew Fox

(from On Being A Post-Denominational Priest)

Interspirituality: Connection and Cooperation

Mick Turner

In 1893, the city of Chicago played host to an event which, at the time, did not seem overwhelmingly significant. Slated as a relatively minor event associated with the World’s Fair, the “World’s Parliament of Religions” was of far greater importance than recognized at the time. The Parliament was the first time representatives of various religious traditions from around the globe convened in a common setting with a common purpose. Moreover, the interfaith gathering foreshadowed the increasing contact between various religious traditions that so characterized the 20^th Century.

 

Originally organized to foster dialog and understanding between the world’s various faith traditions, the Parliament spawned a groundswell of interest among those in attendance as well as those who read about the informative proceedings. Especially in America the Parliament’s impact was both immediate and wide-spread. For example, prior to the gathering in Chicago, both Judaism and Catholicism were largely marginalized in American culture. Despite the fact that both of these groups were numerically strong in the United States since colonial times, a general lack of information on the part of the Protestant Christian majority created an atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust. One of the most significant and enduring legacies of the Parliament has been the mainstreaming of both Catholics and Jews.

 

A second but no less momentous contribution of the Chicago meetings was the West’s exposure to vital Asian spiritual traditions, most notably Zen, Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. As the 20^th Century progressed, contact and positive exchange between American seekers and Asian religions grew rapidly. During the final quarter of the century this inter-spiritual contact and exploration was commonplace.

 

 In 1993, honoring the 100^th Anniversary of the parliament, Chicago again played host to a gathering of representatives from a wide range of spiritual traditions. Over 9,000 participants attended the conference and registration had to be stopped three weeks prior to the event, simply due to lack of space. Attendance could have been much higher. Incredibly, over 75,000 people showed up for the closing ceremony, held in Grant Park. From beginning to end, the hallmark of the conference was mutual respect and a sincere desire for cooperation and unity among the participants. The only incident of discord occurred when a group of fundamentalist Christians, who were non-participants, staged a protest in opposition to the event.

 

As the 21^st Century advances, we can only expect this stream of inter-spiritual contact to widen and grow deeper as the contact between faith traditions grows increasingly consistent. As this process unfolds, it is hoped that among the positive results of inter-spiritual dialog and cooperation are such things as: deeper insight into points of commonality among the various religious traditions; joint proactive efforts by the various traditions to address and rectify existing global and social concerns; and a more peaceful, harmonious world, from nations to neighborhoods. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, an example of a person with a heart for Interspirituality, speaks of the possible benefits of interspiritual cooperation:

“Because all the world’s religious traditions share the same essential purpose, we must maintain harmony and respect among them. This not only benefits the followers of each religion but makes our neighborhoods and countries more peaceful. To do this we need to understand something about the world’s different religions. There are many ways to go about this, but I believe the most effective is face-to-face dialog. Let religious and spiritual leaders meet together to discuss and share their experience and practice; let ordinary members of religious communities spend time with each other.”

 

The final point made by the Dalai Lama is of particular note. While the meetings and dialogs between leaders from the world’s spiritual traditions is of great benefit, it is when the average, rank-and-file members of these traditions become more familiar with one another that real transformation can take place. Positive sharing between the laity of all religions holds perhaps the most promise of all. Any future plans for interspiritual programs and gatherings should take this reality into account. To have only religious leaders meet together is a positive step, but falls short of what is needed.

 

To be sure, there will always be those who are opposed to interspiritual dialog and cooperation. Typically this flavor of opposition comes from the fundamentalist camps, especially within Islam and Christianity. I do not mean to equate these two forces as the former is typically more radical and violent that the latter. Still, both of these religious elements are consistently abhorrent of any attempt toward religious unity. In spite of their opposition, however, the participation of both Islamic and Christian fundamentalists would be welcome. Anything else would be antithetical to the principles of interspiritual unity.

 

Still, there are some Christians who feel that any other spiritual tradition other than Christianity is at best worthless or at worst an evil entity, spawned from the loins of hell. I will state categorically and without reservation that I do not share this mindset and, in fact, consider such a worldview closer to pure evil than a more open-minded approach. I am a Christian but that does not mean I cannot learn from other traditions. In fact, I feel compelled to remind readers that Christianity, along with every other religion, is a product of human effort, not of God. It is an unfortunate truth, but a reality nonetheless, that oftentimes religion is one of the chief impediments to true spirituality, especially as exemplified by Christ.

 

I am reminded of the encounter between Jesus and the woman at the well in Samaria. Most often sermons or Bible lessons on this fascinating encounter focus on the sins of the woman’s past and present life and on Jesus’ teachings about the “living water.” Yet this passage also is highly illuminating in terms of Jesus’ view of religion. He does not condemn this Samaritan woman’s religion. Instead, he goes on to share that “a time is coming and already has come” where both the Samaritan religion and the Jewish religion have become obsolete. The Lord clearly tells the woman that God is spirit and must be worshiped in spirit and truth. God must be worshiped beyond the confines of a limited religious point of view.

 

Does exploring the teachings of other faith traditions in any lessen Christianity? No. In reality, such exploration enriches our faith and helps us to see the teachings of Christ and the early church in fresh and often more accurate ways. Personally, I have such endeavors highly beneficial and, equally significant, these studies have given me insight into how adherents of other faith systems view life. This has been of great benefit in discussing my Christian perspective with followers of other religious traditions.

 

The reality that we now exist in a global society is undeniable. Further, there is a growing recognition that the entire world is interdependent. When one part of the globe is affected, all areas are impacted in some way. Interdependence is increasingly seen in trade, science, medicine, cultural exchange, and even education. It is only natural that humanity’s spiritual traditions are involved as well. Perhaps our greatest hope lies in the fact that as a growing knowledge of the essential unity within the diversity of religious expression takes place, we, as a species, will be less inclined to hostile behavior.

 

Think about it.

(c) L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved

Wise Words for Today

The message of Jesus himself and of the early disciples was not just one of the forgiveness of sins, but rather was one of newness of life – which of course involved forgiveness as well as his death for our sins. And yet that newness of life also involved much more beside. To be “saved” was to be “delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of his dear Son,” as Colossians 1:13 says. We who are saved are to have a different order of life from that of the unsaved. We are to live in a different “world.”…..It is because this was the sort of salvation to be accomplished that the resurrection, not the death of Christ, was the central fact in the gospel of the early believers.

Dallas Willard

(from The Spirit of the Disciplines)