I am in the airport lounge again, this time on the way back to Singapore. Looks like it is the best time to update the blog in between flights. Had a very busy time in Sydney with the renovation of the childcare and having fellowship with all the present leaders in COG Sydney. Took some time to catch up on my sleep over the few days but had some guests and visitors from Canberra who had just returned to Australia. Been busy like a bee and praise the Lord that He makes the honey of His presence with us constant and sweet.
Have been thinking a lot about the various missionaries who have gone forth and pioneered various works fo God: Hudson Taylor, William Carey, David Brainerd, etc. I always find the work of missionaries admirable for the sacrifice they made in order to bring the gospel to areas that have not heard the name of Jesus yet. In our modern society, there are still places like that but much fewer than before. Despite the fact that many places (most of the major cities of the world) have had the gospel preached to them, today’s task of presenting Christ is still so vital. Many denominations and various church groups have always presented the Christ after their own image. And within each of us is an image of Christ that is shaped by our inherited Christian culture which may or may not be in line with that of the Word of God. How different the various presentations of Christ is from one church to another and one Christian fellowship to another. Some preached the loving Christ, some the fierce Christ, some the poor Christ, some the rich Christ, some the easy going Christ, some the disciplinary Christ, etc. Within each of us is an image of the Christ that is shaped through our many years of Christianity. Unless and until the image of the Christ within our lives is as close to the Bible standard of Christ, we will be transformed proportionally to the same image (2 Corinthians 3:18). We become what we see.
As such it is important to know the true character and nature of Christ and not just assume from what we see and hear from our own traditions and cultures. In the end, we who believe in Him will meet Him face to face. The main keys are: does the image of Christ within us make us more truly Godlike and Christlike or does it make us more Phariseelike?; does the Christ in us lead us closer to a relationship with God our Father or further away from our Father God?; does the Christ in us cause us to spend more time in the word and prayer or does it make us complacent? In the end, we are all called and destined to be in the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-29).
Grace, love and peace to all of you, Ps Peter
It’s a challenging word you put here Pastor, I never quite thought it that way, but you’re right again about paying attention to what kind of “Christ” we are portraying through our own living. Very challenging. I called this kinds of thoughts you put our “Holy Ghost ponderings”
Thank you Pastor 🙂