We’re in the midst of a three-part series of self-examination, inspired by Paul’s exhortation in 1 Corinthians 11:28—“Let a person examine himself and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” On Monday we looked at the motivation of the heart—the why behind what you do. Today we will look at one of the most important areas in all of life: relationships!
How would you rate yourself in the area of relationships? Remember that God said that it is not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18), which means we were created for relationship, beginning with our Creator. We cannot begin to live in a right relationship with each other until we are in a right relationship with Jesus! When we are rooted in a relationship with our Redeemer, we are rescued from the tyranny of living for our own good and and our own glory; we are freed to live for the good of others to the glory of God.
“Where is Abel your brother?” the Lord questioned Cain (Genesis 4:9). “I do not know,” Cain replied sullenly; “am I my brother’s keeper?” The Scriptures are crystal clear about the answer to Cain’s sinful, self-centered question. The answer is YES, YES, a thousand times YES! We are our brother’s keeper! Steve Brown summed it up succinctly: “All those who belong to Jesus belong to all those who belong to Jesus.” When God saved you, He placed you within His body, called the church, eliminating all barriers of separation erected up by man. Paul explained to the church at Colossi that “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11). We are all part of the same body and as such, we each need all of us. The Bible knows nothing of the solitary saint. The Christian life was never meant to be lived in intentional isolation, with self-protection as the highest goal.
The Triune God is in a perfect relationship; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, providing the perfect relationship model for all the world to see. If we are to reflect the character of Christ in a way that glorifies God, it must include the way we relate to others . . . all others. Make no mistake, God is never more pleased and proclaimed—glad and glorified—than when we love and lay our lives down for others, just as He loved and laid down his life for us. Our relationships are to shine a light on the transcendent glory and grace of God. Our relationships should bear witness to a watching world what God is like and what He is here to do: rescue this fallen, broken, sin-filled world and make all things new . . . including relationships.
My beloved Pastor Tullian said it beautifully in this section in his book, Unfashionable:
Just as bicycle spokes are linked by their common attachment to the hub, so Christians are linked by their common attachment to Christ. In him, Christians of every tribe, tongue, and nation become brothers and sisters. Though we’re all distinct, all different, in Christ we’re no longer divided. We don’t always act unified, but that doesn’t change the fact that in Christ we are one.
Because of the power of the Gospel, we remain distinct, yet we refuse to be divided because serving Jesus is more important than serving the self.
So . . . how are you doing in the area of relationships? What changes do you need to make? Only the Gospel in all its glory can reorient the direction of our heart away from the self and toward the Savior. The more we live in the deep truths of the Gospel, the more we will live a cross-shaped life: worshipping God and serving others. Laying our lives down for others is the primary sign of the diminishing rule of the sinful heart and the increasing rule of the Savior in our lives. This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 