During the last two and half months, my Bible study has been reading the book, Dual Citizens: Worship and Life between the Already and Not Yet, by Jason J. Stellman. One of main points that Mr. Stellman continuously comes back to is this idea of all Christians being or becoming a "pilgrim". His shaping of this "pilgrim" is very similar to Bunyan's main character in, Pilgrim's Progress. Even though this idea has been around a very long time, it is still a very foreign idea for most of us. His basis comes from Christ's call for His followers to "lose their lives in order to gain it" and "that one must die to himself, in order to really live..". All of this centers around the idea that it is not "our" own life that we are living, but Christ's and we have a purpose for living and that is to bring glory to God. However, most of us live as tourists in this world. We spend our time trying to see the sights or experience all this place has to offer. Anyway, my Bible study leader gave us this quote to us to think about. To say it was humbling would be a vast understatement. So, my question for you is, how are you living your life? Sad to say, I am living most of my life like I am like I have everything to lose. Well, here is the exert, what do you think?
"If we are exiles and refugees on earth (1 Peter 2:11), and if our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20), and if nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35), and if all hardship is working for us as eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17), then we will give to winds our fears and "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). We will count everything as rubbish in comparison with Christ (Philippians 3:7-8). We will "joyfully accept the plundering of our property" for the sake of unpopular acts of mercy (Hebrews 10:34). We will choose "rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin," and we will will count" the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt" (Hebrews 11:25-26)."
--John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life. (pg 108)
David
I ponder this. I wonder if it is truly possible. I morn the thought of going through life and never achieving "real life". I question whether we have snippets of this dying to self and then selfishly grab back what we see as real/worthwhile. I pray this for our family.
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