Comment Highlight: The source of pure motivation
In this post, I want to highlight a comment that was left on my post “Motivated to missions because of duty, expectations, or something else?” The comment was left by a reader named Zach.
The first part of the comment is a long quote. The end of the quote is the part that I want to focus on. Plus, we find out that Zach has been reading (lurking) for a while, and doesn’t usually agree with me. 🙂
Here’s his comment:
The gist is this: Who is running the verbs, so to speak, in regards to conversion. Is it us? Or is God? The Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us. Christ reveals the Father to us. The Father sent His Son and His Spirit. God (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) works out the whole process of salvation. We respond His work in us with His good works, His love, etc.
My two cents. I lurk around these parts and really enjoy your posts. Not sure we see eye to eye an awful lot, but you certainly cause me to think through a bunch of these issues regarding mission/ ecclesia/ etc.
Thanks for the great comment, Zach! And thanks for lurking, in spite of our differences of opinion.
Just to be clear… I think we would agree on many of the ‘fundamentals.’ Christ and Him crucified for our sins, the Trinity, etc. (I think it is fair to say that those are part of your core beliefs regarding Christianity, but please correct me if I’m wrong). Personally, I think that parts of how we ‘do’ church is a matter of adiaphora. I don’t think Christ laid down a new law in regards to how we participate in a local body of believers. There is nothing inherently wrong with a ‘rigid’ liturgy while at the same time another expression of the body can be more ‘organic.’ In both cases, I think in certain areas the ‘organic’ body can be just as rigid, so to speak… while the ‘rigid’ one can be fairly organic, or relational… but that is neither here nor there…
All that to say is that I appreciate that you enjoyed my comment. I shall not try to just ‘lurk’ about, but join in on the conversation from time to time. I really do enjoy your blog. Blessings…
Zach,
What we have in common is of utmost importance. I thank God that we can be united in Christ and live as brothers in spite of our disagreements.
-Alan