Xtreme Spirituality – Part 4

Learning Xtreme Spirituality

 

Another problem with our heavenly fairness scenario is that we are not free to simply invent the truth on this issue because God has already spoken to it numerous times in His Word. To paint the administration and organizational structure of heaven the way we want is to ignore what God already said about “The way it works.”

 

And just how does it work? Take a look at what Paul says in I Corinthians 3:5-18,

Who do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us–servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignment. ⁶I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow. ⁷It’s not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. ⁸Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. ⁹What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen to be God’s field in which we are working.

Or, to put it another way, you are God’s house. ¹⁰Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! ¹¹Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. ¹²Take particular care in picking out your building materials. ¹³Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you’ll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won’t get by with a thing. ¹⁴If your work passes inspection, fine; ¹⁵if it doesn’t, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won’t be torn out; you’ll survive–but just barely.

¹⁶You realize, don’t you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? ¹⁷No one will get by with vandalizing God’s temple, you can be sure of that. God’s temple is sacred–and you, remember, are the temple.¹⁸Don’t fool yourself. Don’t think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with the times.

Your ‘good’ deeds and my ‘good’ deeds here on earth are not going to be put up against ‘everyone else’s.’ We are not graded on a curve so to speak. It’s all a matter of the heart. You’re, essentially up against your own motives—your own heart. In other words, what you do for the purpose of ‘getting noticed,’ or ‘gaining power or prestige’ will be exposed for what it is—worthless. You might get an, ‘atta boy,’ or ‘wow,’ but that’s ALL you’ll get. If you need more convincing, check out what Jesus had to say about it in Matthew 6:1-4,

Take care! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired, because then you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. ²When you give a gift to someone in need, don’t shout about it as the hypocrites do–blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I assure you, they have received all the reward they will ever get. ³But when you give to someone, don’t tell your left hand what your right hand is doing. ⁴Give your gifts in secret, and your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you. (NLT)

Wow. I don’t know about you, but stuff like that sobers me right up. I can’t help but wonder if I ever have completely pure motives.

 

Fortunately, God makes it clear over and over again in His Word that perfection is not what He seeks. God’s looking for an honest effort not a flawless execution. When it comes to executing well, He promises to help if we simply come to the table (weaknesses and all)—with an attitude of gratitude seeking to do His will.

 

Why is it that in a country like China, where a Christian is persecuted, jailed, and possibly killed for his faith, that you find people sold out to their relationship with Christ? These men and women (and, quite often, children) are living XTreme lives, reaching out for any opportunity that would afford them a step closer to their Creator. On the contrary, here in Anywhere U.S.A., where, last time I checked we can worship without fear of serving any jail time, we have this “don’t call me out of my comfort zone,’ mentality.

 

Well, if you were hoping for a quick answer to this I’m afraid you’re going to be a bit disappointed. Tomorrow a ‘guest blogger’ is going to write his thoughts on the matter and maybe his perspective will help shed some new light on an old struggle.