Chambers - part two

Oswald continues in the Dec 2 daily devotional with the following;

"Christian perfection is not, and never can be, human perfection. Christian perfection is the perfection of a relationship with God that shows itself to be true even amid the seemingly unimportant aspects of human life. When you obey the call of Christ, the first thing that hits you is the pointlessness of the things you have to do. The next thought that strikes you is that other people seem to be living perfectly consistent lives. Such lives may leave you with the idea that God is unnecessary -- that through your own human effort and devotion you can attain God's standard for your life.

"In a fallen world this can never be done. I am called to live in such a perfect relationship with God that my life produces a yearning for God in the lives of others, not admiration for myself. Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God. God's purpose is not to perfect me to make me a trophy in His showcase; He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He wants."

So as you consider the two halves of this devotional on Christian perfection, I'm curious enough to ask a couple of questions.

Do you consider many things "pointless" in the context of a Christian life?

Do you have friends or family that are living "perfectly consistent lives" that do not seem to need God? How do you respond to them? How have you effectively witnessed to them?

Oswald Chambers on Christian perfection

If you've been reading Oswald Chambers this month, then you may be familiar with the Dec. 2rd devotional from My Utmost for His Highest. He titles the devotional "Christian Pefection", and expands on Phil 3:12 "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect ..."

The thoughts he goes onto share on perfection have been bouncing around in my head for the last few days and I hope you won't mind if I share them with you for your consideration. It is lengthy enough that I will probably break this into two parts.

"It is a trap to presume that God wants to make us perfect specimens of what He can do -- God's purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements tends to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put into His museum. If you accept this concept of personal holiness, your life's determined purpose will not be for God, but for what you call the evidence of God in your life.

"How can we say 'It could never be God's will for me to be sick?' If it was God's will to bruise His own Son (Is. 53:10), why shouldn't He bruise you? What shines forth and reveals God in your life is not your relative consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your genuine, living relationship with Jesus Christ, and your unrestrained devotion to Him whether you are well or sick."