Old Self, New Self

          That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds;  and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:20-24)

          Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law, I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law, like one not having the law (though I am nto free from God's law but am under Christ's law). so as to win those not having the law.To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. (I Corinthians 9:19-23)

          Yesterday, I shared about separation from God. Today, Paul tells us that for the Christian, the goal is the reverse: separation from sin, the world, and the lifestyles both promote. We’re to strip off the old ways, and dress in new clothes: new attitudes of our minds (WDA!), and a new, righteous and holy self.

          This is the exact opposite of what a significant portion of the Church seems to be doing. The Church seems to be moving toward the world, clothing itself like the world in order to be “relevant” to the world. In part, I can understand this. In the second passage shared above, it speaks of Paul becoming like those he wanted to win to Christ.

          The problem is that if we become like the world, the world will not see its need to be saved. Relevance to the world may well condemn the world. What I find when I read through Scripture isn’t a long list of things we’re supposed to do in our relationship with the world and those in it. What I find is a long list of things we’re supposed to do in our relationships with God and with other Christians (AKA, the Church) and a short list of things we’re to do in relation to the lost.

          Yes, Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. He spent time with the lost and He was criticized for it. But He traveled and virtually lived with His disciples. He told stories to the world and explained the stories to His disciples.

Since we are to put off our old selves and put on the new self, the question really isn’t how relevant we are to the world. It’s how relevant we are to God and His Church.

          Do we show half the concern we show about being relevant to the world about being relevant to the Church? What portion of our attention should the Church get? Which is more important to us, that we interact well with the Church, or that we interact well with the World? How many of your friends are part of the Church? How much of your focus during the week do you give to the Church? It it home, or at least home-away-from-home, or are you more at home in the world? Putting all this a different way, are you deliberate in your dealings with either the Church or the world? Are you intentional in your relationship with either? Do you make up your mind, or do you just go with the flow?

          I think we’re called to be deliberate and intentional toward both, but that our focus should be on getting our relationship with God and the Church (each other) right.