We are called to be like God the Son

In my last post, I poured out some frustration on the whole Christian judging phenomenon.  If you have ever heard the word Christian, I am sure you've heard some sort of argument on this.  Some people love to latch on the judge not passages.  Some people love to latch on to the fact that we are called to preach out.  Personally, I think anytime you are on an extreme of an opinion, you're probably wrong.  However, as I've mulled over this issue- and really just the hurt it's caused in my own life- I'm seeing it coming down to an interpretation of the Trinity.

I sort of mentioned this briefly in the other post, but I just wanted to outline it in more detail.  So if theology is not your thing, I apologize. 

We are called to be CHRIST like.  To be the body of Christ.  To have the mind of Christ.  To give our lives as servants as Christ.

We were never called or given permission to be God the Father like.  To be God the Father's body.  To have the mind of God.  In fact, the Bible makes it pretty clear we won't have the mind of God for the secret things belong to Him.  (Deut 29:29) and even Christ doesn't know the hour of his return- that belongs to the Father.  God the Father is not the servant.  He is the holy one who can only be reached when you are covered by righteousness.  He is to be worshipped.  And while I do in no way mean to take away from his amazing, abounding love, we are never called to be God the Father.  Ever.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit- while they are the same- have very distinct roles.  Christians have only been called to help fill one of those roles.  And that is the role of Christ. 

* God the Father is the standard.  He is and portrays complete holiness.  We are not called to be the standard.  We couldn't be the standard if we tried.  We are models of grace because we are constantly needing our sins forgiven.  God the Father is the Judge.  We are not called to be the Judge of the world.  We are not called to take on that role.  When we take on the role of God the Father, we are almost putting ourselves in His place, which if you want to get nitty gritty is probably idolatry.  We are assuming that our wisdom is enough to determine someone's spiritual state.  Yet, we forget we are finite and have no idea what God is really doing in their heart or in their life.  We have no idea if someone is too far from God, will never repent, or is on the cusp of repenting, or has repented. 

* God the Holy Spirit convicts.  We are not called to convict.  We are shown a protocol to follow when confronting a brother or sister who is in sin.  I'm not taking away from that.  But we are told to do it after much prayer and with much love. And this is strictly for another Christian- not a non believer.  You can't expect someone who is blind to see.  It's not in their power.  You have to lead them lovingly and hope for the best.  But we humans are not able to force the blind to see.  The Holy Spirit must call, convict, and convert.  We are called to serve the lost in love.  And the serving the lost in love- that's Christ- God the Son.

* God the Son was a servant.  He came here to die for us while we were STILL sinning.  That's what we are called to do.  Serve to the point of death.  Death of your reputation.  Death of your material comfort.  Death of friendships.  Not for the sake of a cause against abortion or homosexuality or whatever issue.  But for the sake of people who are lost.  I read the Beautitudes this week.  We are called to be poor in spirit and recognize our own depravity.  If we don't wake up and realize we ARE the least of these.  That we ARE morally depraved.  That there is NOTHING good in us.  That we ARE capable of every sin we decry, we can never be truly effective. 

You can't love someone you think you are more moral than.  

We must cry over our sin and the sin in others lives.  Not in a way of "eww that's so gross!  how could they do that!" but in a way where our heart breaks because as Jesus said 'they know not what they do'.  We sacrifice everything for that.  We serve and serve to try to call people back.  Call them out.  Call them into the light.  We are able to be truly merciful when we understand who God the Father is- that He's holy and unattainable except through Christ.  We are able to be merciful when we understand that were it not for Christ, we would be so far lost.  We are called to serve and to serve in love.  And we can do this when we recognize who we really are in Christ.  Sinners saved by grace.

There will be more coming on this topic.  part 2 will look at who Christ was and what our lives should mirror

see my linking tap to click on the two blogs I am currently linking up with today (Monday) and Into the Word Wednesday