You have been bought with a
price: therefore glorify God in your body
If I were asked to determine
the spiritual vitality of any religious group using only one criterion, I would
evaluate its representative leaders. Are they a group of individuals vying for
power, arming themselves with arguments to defend their position and exert
their will? Or are they servant leaders knit together by the Holy Spirit who
are collectively trying to discern God's will?
Similarly, if I wanted to
determine the spiritual vitality of an individual using only one criterion, I
would evaluate whether the person desires to live according to the will of God,
or if he desires to do his own thing. The prayer of a vital, growing Christian
is, "Make me know Thy ways, O LORD; teach me Thy paths" (Psalm 25:4).
Once our will is bent in the
right direction, Jesus raises the additional question of motive: "He who
speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the
One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him"
(John 7:18). The person who is true glorifies the one who sent him.
This is perfectly modeled in
the Godhead. Notice first the example of Jesus: "For I proceeded forth and
have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent
Me" (John 8:42). The Holy Spirit acts in the same way. In John 16:13, 14,
Jesus said, "He [the Spirit] will not speak on His own initiative, but
whatever He hears, He will speak. . . . He shall glorify Me."
I can take this one step
further. Are you ready for this? Jesus said in John 20:21: "As the Father
has sent Me, I also send you." Granted, that was said to the apostles, but
we are all under the Great Commission. Do you want to be true? Then glorify the
One who sent you! People who know they are God-sent and are committed to live
like that, glorify God. Self-sent people seek their own glory.
Prayer: Today,
Lord, I purpose to reflect my appointment as Your sent-one by glorifying You
instead of myself
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