Download Letter from the Pastor November 27, 2016 What We Believe (Pt. 6

Letter from the Pastor
November 27, 2016
What We Believe (Pt. 6)
As promised, we take up the last part of Grace Fellowship’s statement of belief on the Holy
Spirit. From their October 16th website, “We also believe that the fruit of the Spirit is the
manifestation of the character of Christ in the believer’s life.”
This is one of those sentences that sounds real good until you try to explain to someone what
it means.
In a general sense, we must maintain that the “character” of Jesus is not manifested in us
until we enter eternal glory with Him on Judgment Day. Hear John on this matter, “Beloved, we
are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He
appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:2) Being “like
Him” has “not yet appeared” in us, and won’t this side of heaven.
We would like to think that believing in Jesus at least improves our behavior. After all, we
have the example of Christ’s love, and His command that we do likewise, “Love one another
even as I have loved you.” (Jn 13:34) But we don’t. Christians, according to statistical
assessments, are no different than unbelievers in matters of divorce, theft, murder, abortion,
assault, etc, along with slander, gossip, and endless matters that cannot be statistically tracked.
If we are to show forth the character of Christ, we do a miserable job. And still, Paul prods us to
live holy and pure before the Lord God, and not as though we were still in unbelief. (see Gal 4
and 5) So, the Christian life should show forth a character proper to it.
Paul teaches specifically what is the fruit of the Spirit, a God-wrought, Christian character.
Listening to him, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong
to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let
us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another,
envying one another.” (Gal. 5:22-26) But, this is not, properly speaking, describing the character
of Christ. Jesus did not come to bring peace. (Mt 10:34) Jesus overthrowing the moneychangers tables is not our go-to text for teaching patience. Wouldn’t it have been kind of Jesus
to say to the thieves crucified with Him, “Today, you both will be with me in paradise.”? Paul
speaks, not of the character of Christ, but of the character of faith in Christ Jesus.
If we think that we show forth the character of Jesus in any sense, we will be very careful to
find in it no cause for boasting in ourselves, lest, thinking we stand, we fall. (Prov 16:18)
On to deeper matters: Before the Father, the elect are “conformed to the image (icon) of His
Son.” (Romans 8:29) The Father knows us to be His children in Christ. However, it is
impossible that the divine character of Jesus be manifested in us in the present, fallen world.
Jesus, alone, is the image, or icon, of our divine Father. (Col 1:15) It is also impossible that the
sinless character of Jesus’ human nature be manifested in us. John, speaking to believers, makes
this clear, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 Jn 1:8)
Living in forgiveness and being sinless are two different things. One pertains to us as believers,
the other to Christ. We must confess that we do not manifest the human character of the sinless
Christ. Luther was right to teach believers that we are, at once, sinner and saint.
We have to be especially careful not to look for the character of Christ in us, as though it
could assure our consciences. Seeing nothing but shortfalls, we could not help but be terrified
that we have no gift of the Holy Spirit whatsoever, which is most certainly contrary to God’s
promise. (see last week’s letter, which make the point that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for all
believers)
Pastor Alan R. Coleman