How different are we than the thief on the cross? The only reason I pose this question is because I am about to attend the best seminary in the world. Today I received very wise counsel from some dear friends of ours, and what they said really meant a lot to Marie and I for a couple of reasons. The first one being both have been walking with the Lord longer than I have been alive. It's good to get counsel from people who have known the Lord longer than you. Their desire to seek after and follow the Savior is evidenced in their joy, and how they live their lives. The second would be their motivation was purely out of love for us, and nothing else. It's easy to give advice, and everyone has an opinion, but rarely are the motivations the same as theirs.
Another reason I loved their counsel was because although they never brought up specific verses, their advice was straight from the Bible. in I Corinthians 8:1, Paul made this simple statement: "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." There are many other verses that talk about this concept, and even Randy Alcorn wrote a book called "The Grace and Truth Paradox" I would recommend, but the idea is simple. All the knowledge I gain from the Master's Seminary may equip me to preach, and give me the tools I need to be an effective church leader, but none of it will make my walk closer with God, or make me anymore holier than I was before I started. That is a work that is left primarily to the Holy Spirit.
The Master's Seminary, or Grace Community Church in particular, is wonderful place for individuals to grow spiritually. Their concern was that I remember to fall in love with God, not just the beauty of His Truth, or to put it another way, That I allow the Truth of God and His Word to saturate my soul, not just give me ammunition I can sling at others some would consider "less enlightened."
It's true, there is a high concentration of Biblical Truth at the Master's Seminary. There is no denying that. (well, I suppose some would) And it's also true, while I love the Lord sincerely, and I want to know Him, there are so many different things I don't know, and so many things I still need to learn. I'm also very inexperienced. I'm a relatively new Christian. I was saved about seven or eight years ago, but it really wasn't until the last 4 or so years I started to see significant growth. I have a natural bent towards pride, self-reliance, arrogance, and can at times be condescending. I fear what my sinful flesh would do with a little truth.
Thankfully, I have the Spirit of God working in me, and by His Grace he will deliver me from that. I have reason to suspect that he already has, and one big reason for that is because He has so very graciously blessed Marie and I with people like Mike and Rebecca Watters who we know will not be shy to tell us if our attitudes are not in line with Scripture. I have such a deep respect for the people God has put in my life, like the Watter's and so many others, and can't tell you how thankful I am to be launched from such a wonderful church as Beacon of Hope in Saint Paul.
This is the passage that comes to mind, and it's something I will carry with me through seminary as a reminder that whatever pinhole of knowledge the Lord allows us to have about Him and His redemptive plan, (it's available to everyone, by the way) I will look at the example of the epitome of Truth Itself, and be diligent to mimic His humility.
Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, and Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, did not flaunt His deity around, or demand from anyone the glory He deserved, but He emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave. I pray any knowledge and experience I acquire at Masters will drive me to the same place. I want strong convictions, I want to stand for Truth, but only in a way that pleases God and brings Him honor.
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