Carnality & the Gospel

If we are aliens and strangers on earth, how then must we live?

Luke 2:19

“And  will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”

That verse aptly describes the plans we have for retirement, is it not? We plan, and work, and dream, and fill up our storehouses for those distant future days.

A warm and cozy house, the hearth being warmed by crackling flames, huge snowflakes falling softly outside. Christmas music is playing softly, children or grandchildren are laughing and getting along, parents smile contentedly. This is a picture of comfort and peace. It is an ideal.

In life, we have a plethora of ideals. The white picket fence, two cars, a good job, a nice house, and a couple of charming children. I have had someone tell me, “In twenty years time, I want to have my name on a piece of paper to be making money for me, a home here, and a vacation home in the woods. Is that too much to ask for in life?”

The problem with ideals, is that they are never obtained. The more you get, the more you want. The flesh is never satisfied. The high rates of depression and suicide in the US speak to the validity of this statement. After gaining all that the world has proclaimed will fullfill us, so many people have found it empty and without meaning, overwhelmed by that realization, they choose to take their own lives. As Solomon says,

Ecclesiastes 1:3-4

“What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.”

Ecclesiastes 1:2

“Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”

I can get overwhelmed by the monotony of the day-to-day happenings, the mundane occurrences that never seem to end. It is easy to say, ‘When I have children, my life will feel more exciting and purposeful,’  or, ‘When I get married I won’t have to feel lonely for a close friendship,’ or ‘If I could only save up enough money to travel it would give some drive to my life.’                                  

James 4:14

“Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

I have always thought that I will participate in my husband’s ministry, and that I would be able to pour into my children for my own daily gospel ministry. In addition, God has given me the desire to work with foster kids, and that is something I have put on hold “until I am married.” These things are good and worthy desires! But they are not where God has me at this time. I can be sad and disappointed, even fearful at times, thinking that my existence is purposeless. The mundane surrounds, and the enemy breathes his lies and cultures the seeds of discontent.

Lately, God has been working in my heart, asking me, ‘If those things that you desire never happen, how will you live, what will your purpose for living be?’ I’ve had to grapple a bit with that thought. If my dreams for this world are never fulfilled, and they are good things to desire, but if they are never fulfilled, will I still love my Lord more than my own desires?

My Savior has given His life for me, to call me His own. He is enough. The next part of the question also involves purpose. I have lived my whole life with one idea of what my purpose is. While that remains unfulfilled, I need a lasting purpose not contingent on myself. God has created us to have purpose, but that purpose is to worship and enjoy Him.

Psalm 16:5-6

“The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.”

Revelation 4:10-11

“The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who is seated on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.’”

Psalm 16:11

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

To a world and a culture that is obsessed with personal happiness what we are saying as believers will seem strange. The American dream is worthless, it is fading and futile. It is empty vanity. As a Christian, I place this before you, we believe that we will live eternally with God in His heaven, do we not? If this world shall be a period of nothing more than 70, 80, 90, maybe even a 100 years, and then fade into dust, should a house in the woods or on the beach and a comfortable retirement be our biggest ambition in life? No my friend, it is not too much to ask. I beg to say that you are asking for far too little. All of eternity is stretched ahead of us, and we have this fleeting life to make an eternal difference. How we live these passing days will impact all of our eternity. Obviously, the most significant difference will be, have we recognized the Lordship of our God, and the salvation given through His Son, Jesus Christ, for our sins against a Holy and Righteous God.

Romans 5:8

“But God shows His love for us in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Matthew 6:19-21

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart is also.”

Is my treasure in heaven? Or do I place my hope in the things of this world. What does a life that is committed to following the Savior look like?

Hebrews 11:13-16

“These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city.”

Where our treasures are, there our hearts will be also. My question for myself then today, is: what is my heart more concerned with than following my Lord, and how can I turn my eyes fully on His beautiful face so that these things of earth fade away and grow dim?

Every so often, an overwhelming wave rushes over me, saying “Forget this world, do away with the carnality of life. My life would be much better spent bathed in prayer, and filled with bone-wearing exhaustion for the sake of serving my Lord by serving others. This is a life worthy of the gospel. ” However, my desire for comfort and earthly happiness rapidly swoops back in. I want to make enough money to buy a house, to lose a few pounds, to make a few friends so that I have someone to get coffee with, or to go to the movies, a new electronic, to be successful, to be well liked, etc. Forgive me God. I  have counted this world as of greater worth, than losing my life for the sake of your name.

Having been called therefore as saints, to walk in the good deeds that He has prepared for us, how should our lives look?

    Ought we not to despise this life in the flesh, willing to give up every comfort even our lives, for the sake of the gospel?

    This can sound glorious, in some ways, and then we turn and snap at a loved one for making so much noise! To die to self is a calling on every moment in life. We have died and been buried with Christ in His death, and raised with Him to newness of life! Sin no longer has the same power over us, Christ has made the way for us to say no to it! To be freed from the bondage of sin and He has made us bond-servants of our Lord and Savior. We then, as ambassadors for Christ, ought not to become so attached to this world that parting from it gives us sorrow (for the sake of possessions or statuses in life.)

    As those who have beens richly loved by Christ, we also ought not to hold so tightly to the ease of life that we withhold love. Every opportunity that we are given to interact with someone is an opportunity to show the love of God. A smile, a prayer, a genuine inquiry into their lives. These make a difference. Maybe it won’t be something big, like adopting a child, or fostering a child until they can transition into their forever families. But why not? God has adopted each of us without restraint, He has said that pure and undefiled religion is to care for widows and orphans. Is it easy? Of course not, but we were never called to a life of ease.

    Maybe speaking truth of the gospel into the life of someone else, even if it’s awkward. Is sparing yourself one awkward moment, and the risk of rejection, truly worth more than a human soul?

    Maybe expending our emotional strength and energy to be involved in other peoples’ lives, to care about their problems for the sake of loving them well, or are we so obsessed with ourselves that we would rather explain away our selfishness by saying, “I am just introverted and need time to myself.” It is good to know yourself that way, sometimes to best serve we need time to spend with God and re-charge. Other times, it is a matter of being too selfish to value the needs of others as more important than your own? (I am guilty of using that excuse in that very way!) I ought to be more than willing to be poured out as a fragrant drink offering as a sacrifice to the Lord for His glory, and my own good, as in my weakness I am pushed to rely on Christ.

                     Romans 6:6-11

“We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 1:27-29

“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake,”

Philippians 1:20-21

“As it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For me live is Christ, and to die is gain.”