"For Us All"

FOR US ALL
          Do not lose sight of the main point. Jesus referred to them as “whitewashed
(painted) tombs” because they were nice and pretty on the outside but dirty and dead on the inside. They appeared to be fine folks from the outside but disguised deep within lurked a darker side, hearts that were filled with “hypocrisy and lawlessness.”
          Do not think that these verses pertain purely to the extremely religious leaders of our day. It does include them, but it is also a passage meant for every Christian. Does there exist a discrepancy between my true soul/heart and the person I am attempting to outwardly portray? In other words, am I simply an actor or actress playing a role?
          Do not think that this passage is only relevant for religious leaders and church members. It is also a passage meant for those in the world without Christ who, like these Pharisees, learn to impersonate a false, self-created identity. Now, here is the important distinction though between believers and unbelievers. Those who have never surrendered their lives to Christ do not know who they are or are who they are meant to be. This revelation can only occur “in Christ.”
          So when we refer to those in the world without Christ as “lost,” we really mean “lost,” which includes a completely missing identity. They are “wanderers” on this earth without a sense of direction or purpose or individuality. Our job then is to present the life-transforming Gospel message to them. We are called to tell them “the truth”…how there is a better “way” and another, far better “life” in the person of Jesus Christ. We were originally created imago Dei (in the image of God), and the only way to truly discover “who we are” is through a “reunion,” if you will, in Christ. 
          Believers, on the other hand, who have received Christ (and the Holy Spirit) into their lives, now have the potential of living their lives as they were created/destined to live them. Remember my repeated refrain, “it is a transformation process,” and that process is designed to be followed daily. Every day we are supposed to grow closer to our Lord and renew our minds in Christ. Each day and each year, then, we should have a better understanding of “who we are” in Christ. We peel away the false veneer every day and every year the remainder of our lives.
 
BACK TO THE CORINTHIANS
          Let us return briefly to our primary sermon series example, the Corinthian Church members (from the book of I Corinthians). The Apostle Paul had preached to them, and they had gloriously surrendered their hearts to Christ. However, some time later, Paul recognized the fact that their spiritual growth was stunted. In fact, by now they should have been able to understand much deeper spiritual truths. Yet they were unable because they were still spiritual “babies,” that is spiritually immature.
Paul calls them “carnal” or “unspiritual” Christians, which should be an oxymoron. These two words should not be uttered together. How can someone who has received the Spirit of Christ be unspiritual? The simple answer is “they were not yielding control of their daily lives to God’s Spirit.” One might also say that they were “Spirit equipped” but not “Spirit controlled” or “Spirit filled.”