BECOMING WHAT WE BEHOLD

Morality which does not connect behavior to a relational exchange with Jesus, where disobedience is viewed as a violation against our Savior, is not really morality at all but simply a concoction of man - cheap grace, “the kind of grace we bestow on ourselves” - as Dietrich Bonhoeffer so eloquently put it.  David fully understood this when He said, “You and only you have I sinned against Oh Lord” (Ps. 51:4).  He understood the beauty of morality for love’s sake, for the sake of Jesus, for the sake of God and for the sake of other people - morality forever embedded in the commandment to love God and love other people, and defined in the eternal absolutes of God’s word.  It is so easy to get into a cultural war about rules of conduct, fighting for dominance within the fallen system Christ redeemed us out of, and failing to point to Christ, the only way of rescue for those whose “conduct” falls short of God’s glory. The biblical idea of morality is embedded in our relationship with Jesus, a direct ramification of our spiritual union with Him.  We love Him BECAUSE He first loved us. We become what we behold: This is the classical “first cause” of the divine transformation process. He loved us and demonstrated His love through the ultimate sacrifice, and as we comprehend God’s love for us the Holy Spirit begins to grow reciprocal love for God in our heart - a process of renewing our heart and mind - and this Love is the first fruits of a new being as the Holy Spirit begins the life long process of conforming our nature into the nature and likeness of Christ.  Out of this Love springs the capacity to love ourselves, then to love others, then Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control. Little by little, bit by bit we change as God’s love produces obedience to His word, and the willingness to allow the Holy Spirit “both to will and to do for His good pleasure” in us. We become what we behold, a spiritual principle fueled by God’s word that declares the “beholdable” God. When we behold God’s mercy toward us and we become merciful, we behold God’s goodness toward us and we become good, we behold God’s kindness toward us and we become kind, we behold God’s forgiveness toward us and we forgive others, and the process goes on - becoming Christlike, becoming what we behold.  Biblical morality, godly moral conduct -- godliness -- is simply the product of our Christlikeness, when we act and react as Christ would.

“WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE

HE FIRST LOVED US”