No More Goodbyes

Can you imagine what it might be like to experience the reality of 1 Corinthians 13:12? The Apostle Paul writes these comforting and compelling words, "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." Oh, to see Him face to face! Yes, that will be glory for me. No more shrouds of sin or doubt. Just me and my Lord, standing face to face. It is a bit intimidating, however, I believe the overpowering presence of His love and grace will wash away that apprehension and like Mary Magdalene, I will cling to the one who rescued me from death and the pains of this world. But for now, like Bart Millard, of the band, "Mercy Me", I can only imagine what it will be like to be surrounded by His glory.

I have written before of some of the challenges of being called to a "people ministry". It comes with the joys and sorrows of sharing your heart with other human beings. It is a life filled with hello's and goodbye's. In the quiet moments, like now, sitting alone with my thoughts and computer at 2:00 a.m., I can reflect upon what the Lord has allowed, without interruption.  In forty years of ministry there have been many hellos and goodbyes. Some more permanent than others. Within the past fourteen days I have said goodbye to three remarkable and Godly women who were nearly old enough to be my mother and so deeply committed to the Lord that they serve as an example of what it is to walk with God. These goodbyes were difficult, yet not completely unexpected. Their race had been run, their course finished and the words, "Well done, My good and faithful servant", greeted them as they entered into glory. However, these are not the only goodbyes I have faced.

The other goodbyes ought to be easier for they are the ones that only involve location. We live in a society where that is simply a reality of life. Jobs change, people retire, family situations require moves and adjustments. We will promise to keep in touch and to touch base with facebook and emails, however, the human contact will be lost. The weekly hellos and smiles cannot be fully captured on Instagram or an attached photo to the text message. The humanness of the relationship will suffer loss. It simply cannot be avoided. And such is life. People come into your circle of ministry and become friends. You see them grow in grace and in their commitment to the Lord and His ministry, and then it is off to Kentucky, Florida, the Carolinas, Texas or some other place too many miles away to have that personal touch in life. It is true some just move across town or feel directed to another church fellowship, but, the loss is the same. Relationships come and grow and then often move on. It is to be expected and is somewhat understandable; it still carries that taste of losing something treasured. These are harder, for the loss lingers, knowing those relationships are just out of reach.

I have had brothers and sisters in Christ make those moves. Some on to glory, some across the country, some just down the road. Each one takes a little part of me and leaves a little hole that will not be filled this side of glory. Soon a young sister in the Lord, perhaps daughter is a more accurate term, will make such a move. Her dad, who knows the reality of 1 Corinthians 13:12, was far closer than a friend. She is more of a daughter than just another member of our church fellowship. I have watched her grow, and stumble, and then blossom in the wonder of God's grace as I have prayed for her. She will be a remarkable blessing in her new home and location. A little part of me will go with her, as it has with the others whose lives God has allowed me to share. It is one of those bittersweet moments of watching a butterfly stretch their wings and fly away to new horizons and new experiences with the Lord. Yet, life will be a little diminished for the parting. It always has been and it will always be that way if we allow our hearts to be knit to another for a time. It is not an easy thing but is is more rewarding than guarding your heart and finding you have lost the opportunity to love like Jesus loves.

Seeing Messiah face to face is my greatest anticipation when I arrive in glory. The second has been captured by a "Rascal Flatts" music video. "Here Comes Goodbye" is one of those emotionally powerful presentations that captures the reality of loss unlike most videos I have seen. For me, the greatest message of the video does not come from the song but from a scene at the end of the video. Looking toward eternity the question is asked, "What's it like?" The little boy replies, "There are no more goodbyes". Rascal Flatts, "Here Comes Goodbye". No more goodbyes. That too, will be glory for me. 

Are You a Gnostic Christian?

Do you have a personal relationship with God? Is God honestly beyond you? Are you, as a mere mortal, not able to truly understand the divine?  Are you looking forward to shedding this sinful, corrupt body and going to heaven? If so, have you ever wondered if any of these ideas are really Biblical? It might be that these thoughts are not as clear cut as we might think. There are elements of an old philosophy that may well have infected what we assume is Christian thought. Back in the days when Jesus, Messiah, was walking the earth there was a growing movement among the Greek intellectuals. It was about a special higher knowledge. A spiritual knowing that is beyond this material world. The Greek word for knowing is ginōskō where we get the term Gnosticism. It was an issue in New Testament times as gentiles came into the Messianic community. Today's question is, "Did we ever escape it?"

Very briefly, Gnosticism taught that there was a higher knowledge that we should strive for. It held that the material, especially the fleshly bodies we have, are intrinsically evil. They were also not really related to the reality yet to come. Thus, the body was to be either beaten into submission or you could do anything you wanted with this body as it did not relate to the "real world" of higher knowledge. Morality was irrelevant for this branch of Gnosticism. The higher knowledge was both unknowable and completely personal. Your higher knowledge may not be the same as anyone else and it would be hard to share, as this knowledge was on a spiritual plane above this unwanted physical world. The goal was to shed this mortal body and join in the "one" consciousness in the heavenlies. There you would be free from the pain, sorrow, limitations, and corruption of this world and this mortal body. There you would be with the unknowable, completely other, "god", who gave you this higher knowledge.

Aspects of this may seem familiar to you. God being so far above us He is not truly knowable. After all "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD" (Isaiah 55:8). And we all can relate to the awful nature of the flesh, Romans 7:5, "For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death." We have all been told that we need a personal relationship with the Lord, one that is uniquely our own. No one has the right to question your decisions if you feel you were directed by God to do it. We sing that "this world is not our home" and that "heaven is a wonderful place". Heaven, that place up there with streets of gold and no more fleshly problems or limitations where we can be with the One true God forever. Then we will understand and know the unknowable. We are currently stuck where, "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known" (1 Corinthians 13:12). Oh to put off this sinful flesh, go to heaven, know God, and be free from this physical body and to experience spiritual glory.

So, how are we different than the Gnostics? It seems we do what mankind often does by getting things out of balance or hanging onto tradition without considering Scripture. It is true that we sin and that sin takes a toll on our physical bodies. However, God says that, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14). And, 1 Corinthians, "do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" The Apostle Paul's illustration of the "Body" representing the church seems to indicate that the body is a pretty amazing thing. How can we say life is precious and then talk about how corrupt our bodies are? These physical entities that God has designed and given to us are truly fearfully and wonderfully made. They are the vessels of God's Spirit to do God's work here and now. Paul's use of the "flesh" is more about the evil we do with these bodies rather than the bodies themselves.

Speaking of the "body" illustration, where did this profoundly personal relationship with God thing come from? It is true that God loves us as individuals, However, most of what we see in Scripture is how we relate to others. We never sin in a vacuum. Our behavior is either beneficial or detrimental to those around us. Just look at the chaos of David's family after his sin with Bathsheba. Or check out the result of Achan's sin in Joshua chapter 7. Defeat of an army, dead Israelites, discouraged people and the death of Achan's family. His relationship was not so isolated and personal with the Lord that it did not touch the lives of others. Our God is knowable. He reveals Himself to us. We may not always understand everything; however, we know of His mercy, creative power, His justice, His love and the giving of His Son. He does communicate with us and has given us a series of books to explain Himself to us. He has given us directions and instructions as to how to best live and to commune with Him and be a community with other people. He is not completely other or unknowable.

By the way, you will not always have this physical body but you will have a physical body that lasts forever. You are not some spiritual entity trapped in this fleshy container longing to get free. The new body you have will still work and do things for God. You will not dwell in heaven but on a new earth in the new Jerusalem. That is where the streets of gold are. Sorry, no streets of gold in heaven. We may be built for glory, however, that glory is here and now as well. What you do now matters.

Have we, as followers of Messiah, that Christian community you may belong to, allowed Gnostic flavors to be incorporated into our faith? It is true that Paul looked forward to being with the Lord, yet, he would chose to stay here to minister to the Philippians.  The vast majority of Scripture is about living here and now. We know little of heaven or eternity or even that of the new heaven and new earth John speaks of in Revelation 21. Life is not all about limitations, sin, and pain. It is about glorious service to God and others. It is seeing the revelation of the knowable God all about us every day. It is being grateful for the amazing bodies He has blessed us with. Life is very little about longing for "heaven" and a whole lot about living for Him now. Don't let Gnostic influences deny the life of glory God has for you today. It seems we need to put heaven on hold and go do something to advance His kingdom and encourage His people. That should be way more enjoyable than whining about our corrupt bodies while we wait in despair to go to some  place we conjured up to be heaven.