Dieper Dinge Deeper Things

Blessed are you, Lord our God,
creator and redeemer of all;
to you be glory and praise for ever.
From the waters of chaos you drew forth the world
and in your great love fashioned us in your image.
Now, through the deep waters of death,
you have brought your people to new birth
by raising your Son to life in triumph.
May Christ your light ever dawn in our hearts
as we offer you our sacrifice of thanks and praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever.

Church of England Common Worship Texts

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.

You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace.
That is enough for me.

Ignatius of Loyola

Almighty God,
from whom all thoughts of truth and peace proceed:
kindle, we pray, in the hearts of all, the true love of peace
and guide with your pure and peaceable wisdom
those who take counsel for the nations of the earth
that in tranquillity your kingdom may go forward,
till the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.

Church of England Common Worship Texts.

In 1950 Bob Pierce founded World Vision. Today it is one of the world’s largest relief and development agencies reaching more than fifty million people a year in 103 countries. He began small, by helping Korean orphans, but each project grew in size and scope as he worked with relentless energy and vision. A lot was written about his compassion and drive for lost souls. Unfortunately, Bob was not wise in the way he conducted his personal life. He ignored the needs of his immediate family, his own emotions, and the needs of his body.

He all but abandoned his family and by the end of his life he was completely alienated from his wife and children. Relationships with the board of World Vision were also strained and he eventually resigned from World Vision during a highly charged meeting. One biographer wrote that the temper that he had battled all his life got the upper hand more and more often and his behaviour became erratic. A lifetime of eighteen hour work days, unhealthy food and jet lag took its toll on his body and made him susceptible to many physical ailments. He died of leukaemia at age sixty-four.

A few years ago, Craig started a small church cell group that gathered together weekly for a meal, Bible study and prayer. In the beginning, it looked as if the group was functioning well and members were loving and supportive of one another. One day one of the members, Millie, told some other members about a suspected affair between two members of one of the other small groups in the church. The other members told their spouses, under the pretence of being legitimately concerned. By the time the rumour reached Craig, he was astonished that the gossip circulated while the group was studying James 3 on the power of the tongue for good and evil. Not long thereafter, Millie circulated a similar rumour about two of their own group members and soon the cell group disbanded, with many members feeling hurt and betrayed.

In the same church, Dana met Jane, a retired missionary, and was pleased to befriend someone that seemed wise, spiritual and involved in God’s work. After spending time with her she noticed that Jane talked only about other people and what she was doing to help them. She often talked about people in such a way that it put them in a negative light, under the pretence of caring about them and being concerned about their welfare. Jane also regularly gave inappropriate and unasked for advice, simply because she was so self-absorbed that she did not really listen to the person in front of her. One day Dana explained to Jane that, although she appreciated her friendship, this was not compatible with the way Christians are called to live and that she preferred not to hear any more gossip stories. Jane not only reacted in a hostile, sarcastic manner, but also avoided Dana thereafter.

What went wrong in Bob, Millie and Jane’s lives? They were emotionally and spiritually immature. The Bible truths they could recite by heart and teach other people did not reach or change their own hearts. If you listen to and observe the behaviour of many church members today, it is clear that they also have no idea how to live according to the Biblical principles that they talk about.

It seems that we have accepted that you can be a gifted speaker on the pulpit, but an unloving spouse at home; work as a full time missionary, but be unteachable, insecure and defensive; fast and pray regularly as a spiritual discipline, but be critical and judgemental of others. In other words, we do not require ourselves or our brothers and sisters to be spiritually or emotionally healthy and to bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Scripture is clear that for followers of Christ, growing to emotional and spiritual maturity and bearing the fruit thereof in our lives are not optional. The children of God will be known by their fruit. Those who call themselves children of God and do not bear fruit will first be disciplined and if that does not result in fruit, they will be rejected. (Matthew 7:15-20; James 2:18; John 15:5-6).

One of the first steps in growing to maturity is being honest with ourselves and with God. Your Creator God is in relationship with all of who you are. God is interested in all the dimensions and aspects that make up who you are: your spirit, body, personality, emotions, mind, private life, social life, intellect and any other aspect that you can think of.

Christians often ignore their feelings through emotional denial, distortion, or disengagement. We turn a deaf ear to anything disturbing in a desperate attempt to control our inner world. We are frightened and ashamed of our feelings and suppress them lest anyone else see who we are under our neat exterior.

It is unrealistic to think that you can live the fruitful life of a follower of Christ while ignoring the needs of your body or denying your emotions and the effect they have on you. We have to be real and acknowledge all the different needs and voices that form part of who we are.

Many approaches and philosophies throughout history have subordinated the other aspects to the spirit of the person. Bodily needs and emotions, especially anger, are regarded as being opposed to the Holy Spirit. In this way, the repression of feelings has become regarded as a spiritual virtue. Denying depression, ignoring loneliness, suppressing anger and renouncing our sexuality have become an acceptable way of life in many Christian communities.

The different aspects and dimensions of a person are all important and necessary. They are inter-dependent and integrated to such an extent that it is not really possible to separate a person into clearly distinguishable parts. Acknowledging our body’s needs and our emotions does not mean that we are controlled by them. On the contrary, recognising these needs is a necessary first step in the development of self-discipline and spiritual growth. The only way to grow and change is by being brutally honest and completely vulnerable before God.

Churches run well-planned curriculums for Bible study, prayer, discipleship and evangelism, but seldom confront their members about immaturity and sin in their lives. The question arises whether there are enough mature members who are able to disciple others. You are invited to complete this quiz to evaluate your own emotional and spiritual maturity:
Test your emotional and spiritual maturity

Resources:

Scazzero P, Bird W, 2003. The Emotionally Healthy Church. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

“When we begin to feel in its fullness the love of God, we begin also to love our neighbour in the experience of the Spirit. That is the love of which the Scriptures speak. For friendship according to the flesh breaks down too easily on the slightest pretext. The reason is that it lacks the bond of the Spirit. Therefore even if a certain irritation takes hold of the soul on which God is acting, that does not break the bond of love. For if it has been set ablaze again by the fire of divine love, it seeks with great joy to love its neighbour, even if in return it has to undergo wrongs or insults. In fact, the bitterness of the quarrel is entirely consumed in the sweetness of God.”
Diadochus of Photike

I had a quarrel with a friend recently and both of our attitudes disappointed me so deeply, that I realised anew that we are mere babes in spiritual matters.

The best test or indication of spiritual progress is our ability to love. It has to be unselfish love founded on respect, service and unbiased affection that asks nothing in return. A deep empathy that takes us out of ourselves to feel with and even ‘in’ the other person.

This love and empathy gives us the ability to discover in the other person an inward nature as mysterious and deep as our own, but also very different from our own. It enables us to accept and respect the other person and to embrace the differences as part of the variety in God’s perfect creation.

Such love makes it possible to handle the differences in opinion with love and respect, instead of ascribing differing views to lack of wisdom or stupidity. We have a strong and constant tendency to justify ourselves by condemning other people. We so easily fall into the trap of condemning others and gossiping about them under the pretext of ‘praying for them’ or of expressing ‘concern’.

For the person who wants to grow spiritually, the Gospel command not to judge is crucial. The spiritual fathers wrote that greed and vanity are passions that belong to those who are spiritual novices, but for the more advanced, failure always comes from judgement pronounced on others. Virtue consists in refusing to despise anyone.

In the spiritual realm, true humility and true love means knowing that we ourselves are guilty in everything and for everyone. The spiritual person hides the faults and failures of others, instead of rejoicing in it and proclaiming it to others, just as Christ washes our sins in his blood.

Maximus the Confessor listed some attitudes that may help us to overcome lack of love:

1) Realise that every refusal to forgive another person deprives you of Christ. We were taught to pray: ‘Forgive us our trespasses as (to the extent that) we forgive those who trespass against us.’ The gospel requires us to be reconciled with others before bringing our gift to the altar. We have to forgive, before daring to pray to God. Be reconciled with others before going to bed at night.

2) In arguments, avoid self-justification and the sort of psychological analysis that, on the pretext of objectivity or lucidity, reduces the mystery of the other person and becomes a subtle means of destroying them, a shrewd form of malice.

3) Do not avoid people that annoy or you, but try humbly and gently to clear up the misunderstanding. If that is not possible, pray for that person and refuse to speak evil of him or her. Accept excuses that others make for that person and defend him or her in conversations and your internal dialogue. Realise that you do not have love or spiritual freedom until you can close your eyes to the faults of a friend.

Let us remind ourselves regularly of this wisdom so that we can truly love one another as Christ loves us.

Resources:

Olivier Clèment 1993. The Roots of Christian Mysticism. Texts from the Patristic Era with Commentary. London: New City Press.

At this time, after modernism, there is a loss of spirituality and a loss of sense in purpose and meaning, which may result in a general hopelessness. At the same time there is a decline in the institutional church, but a renewed interest in spirituality and mysticism.

The meaning of mysticism

The Greek word mysterion in the New Testament refers to the mystery of God ‘s love for us revealed in Christ. In Christian vocabulary the term mystical theology therefore means knowing God as revealed in Christ and belonging to the fellowship of the mystery. Believers are incorporated into the mystery through baptism and live this mystery through the sacramental life and growth in faith, hope and charity.

For the Church Fathers, understanding scripture was not merely an academic exercise. It was something for which one prepares by prayer, purification, humility and love, with the aim of engaging with God through scripture. Through this engagement one is conformed to the image of God.

The mystical meaning of the sacraments is the way in which the sacraments enable believers to participate in the mystery of Christ ‘s death and resurrection. For the individual, the mystical life is that life hidden with Christ in God. The new life is implanted in believers through their spiritual death and resurrection in baptism and bears fruit as the union with God shows signs of the risen life of Christ.

Bernard McGinn discusses the term mysticism under three headings: mysticism as an element of religion, as a way of life and as an attempt to express direct consciousness of the presence of God.

Mystics do not practice “mysticism.” They practice Christianity. Mysticism is a part of Christianity which may be more or less important for a specific believer and which can be experienced in varying degrees of intensity and development.

Everything that leads up to and flows from the encounter with God is part of mysticism. In this way, mysticism is a way of life for the believer.

One term that many mystics used to describe the experience of the presence God is union. Mysticism can therefore also be described as that part of the belief system and practices of a believer that concerns preparation for, experience of and reaction to immediate and direct contact with God.

Mysticism, in summary, is communion between the believer and God. In Christian mysticism, this union can only be achieved through Christ. The mystical initiative comes from God and is an act of grace.

The relevance of mysticism

“to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2-3)

A mystical reading aims to discover the deeper meaning of the text and brings to light the life contained and hidden in scripture. As such it may alleviate the “pastoral crisis of social displacement, the theological crisis of respeaking God, and the methodological crisis of how the read the texts of scripture.”(1) For example, some writers’ mystical reading of the beatitudes is interpreted to reveal that the blessed (happy) ones are totally dependent on God and have nothing of their own.

“A deep humility enables them to see that everything is a gift, and therefore pride has not place in them. As a result they are anxiety-free, since anxiety is a reflection of the ego’s fear and self-reliance “.(2)

This is in contrast to popular interpretation of the beatitudes that regards it merely as lists of rules or requirements in order to be blessed by God.

The text is now more readily acknowledged as a mediation of meaning which takes place as event in the reader and provides a ‘door’ as it were, between different dimensions of consciousness. Often the journey into new dimensions necessitates entering into the silence, the void, and the inexpressible. Such study of scripture takes the reader “beyond the clarity of understanding to the darkness of God, the mystery that is not a problem to be solved but the living flame of love ignited by the encounter with that love in Christ through the words of the Bible.” (3)

The experience of the presence of God brings with it a change of nature, a renewing of the mind and a transformation of the ego. This change not only affects the relationship of the believer with God, but also with fellow human beings. The community of believers is now at service to one another, with love as the aim.

The believer now no longer operates in the realm of the old nature (the flesh), but rather in the realm of the Spirit. The believer is indwelt and ruled by the Spirit. This transformation does not eliminate the individual personality. Instead, the believer becomes the best person he / she can be and achieves a higher level of living.

An individual ‘s spiritual development means growth towards a fuller union with God through prayer and a growing conformity to God ‘s will in life. This growth in oneness with God will tend to bring about a growth in good will toward one ‘s fellows and in personal integration.

When believers are conformed to God ‘s image in this manner, their behaviour changes, markedly with regards to their attitude towards fellow human beings. This is necessary for establishing the kind of Kingdom community that is part of God ‘s plan: believers full of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

The characteristics and challenges of the 21st century

Modernism has resulted in the eclipse of the spiritual worldview and a loss of sense in purpose and meaning, which can result in the perception that there is no hope or purpose for the universe and our place in it.

We are living in a world full of alienation: a technological desert has been produced in which creativity is prostituted to consumerism, fertile land has been levelled and concreted, and air and water are poisoned by refuse and acid rain. We are also living in a spiritual desert in the midst of material prosperity. Existence is meaningless, empty, boring, because instant enjoyment is the order of the day. And when the instant is over, there is nothing left to enjoy. Denial of the God and heaven of our forebears leaves the future blank.

The 21st century is characterised by postmodern thought. Postmodernism is a reaction against modernism that denies the existence of any ultimate principles, and lacks the optimism of there being a scientific, philosophical, or religious truth which will explain everything for everybody – a characteristic of the so-called modern mind.

The processes of secularisation and post modernism have led to a breakdown in traditional patterns of belief, the disruption of family life, the growth of pluralism which renders all truth claims equal, changes in the social order, less hostility towards the spiritual, the growth of a ‘pick and mix’ style of faith and belief and a multiplicity of choices.

A survey of Australian youth conducted by the Australian Catholic Bishops a few years ago showed that in the hearts of young people today, fear is paramount. The threat of a future out of their control dominated by the possibility of global conflict and eco-devastation, the vast choices of a pluralistic society together with rapid change in communication, technology and science, lengthy unemployment, the ambiguity of widespread moral relativity, global corporate injustice, increase in reports of violence in society, marriage break-down and family dysfunction, drug abuse, suicide and mental illness, loss of credibility of traditional helping institutions including the church and material pre-occupation and religious apathy, all of these contribute to a sense of futility, alienation and even despair. Clearly, this fear needs to be replaced by trust and hope in the future, a future which embraces all of humankind. It requires good role models, but especially that experience of a power greater than ourselves, a sense of dependence on a creative, benevolent, guiding higher power which imparts confidence.

The meaning and relevance of mysticism for the 21st century

Within the context of Christianity, postmodernism may be described as a reaction against conventional wisdom in theology and the church and an assimilation of postmodern philosophy which questions objective truth and the nature of knowledge. It emphasizes the otherness and incomprehensibility of God. Paying close attention to the age-old philosophical question of the relationship of ‘faith’ and ‘reason’, postmodern Christianity usually thinks of the Christian faith as in some way transcending human reason, rather than being unreasonable, illogical, or absurd — on the one hand — or merely logical, on the other hand.

Postmodernism is therefore not only destructive, it is also constructive. The harsh values of modernism are being replaced by a new awareness that life can be lived poetically and mystically.

We learn from history that mysticism often starts blossoming in a culture that has reached a critical juncture where the people are alienated from themselves. Although the current age has been called ‘the dark night of the church’ there are some Christians who are willing to remain within the body of believers and help it to change for the sake of the Spirit, for community and in obedience to Christ.

This experience of union is a mystical, contemplative dimension of Christianity which in no way detracts from the strong ethical demands paramount in the Synoptic sayings and parables of Jesus, but rather presents the expression of the ideal as a self-giving love through the emphatic Christological statement of the Father’s self-giving epitomized in the image of the Son Jesus. This union in love is held out as a hope for all people and celebrates the inestimable value of humanity, for whom the utmost expression of this participation in the divinity is the communitarian life lived in loving service unto death. It involves union with the Word through faith in the Word, the Word which is ‘bread’ that nourishes, strengthens and satisfies, ‘bread’ which is at once the humanity of Jesus himself, his own body and blood, given for others. This unity is available through the Spirit, the Paraclete who leads to all truth.

Celia Kourie emphasises that the church needs to regain a mystical appreciation of scripture, as it will enable the church to:

* democratise church structures, which will result in greater co-operation between members;
* better understand the needs of a pluralistic society;
* more readily acknowledge the role of women, resulting in mutual supportive relationships within the church;
* develop a renewed ecological sensitivity as it becomes aware that each part of the whole is deserving or respect; and
* place more emphasis on the role of Christ as saviour and God and the way in which his followers become more like Him.

Conclusion

A mystical experience of God and a commitment to following Christ result in a change of the believer ‘s nature, which affects the relationship of the believer with God and with fellow human beings.

Postmodern Christian mysticism is an invitation to put union with God and experiencing the presence of God through Christ at the centre. A renewed understanding and a mystical reading of scripture can effect a renewal in the spiritual life of the believer and the church. In this way, mysticism is a gift for the church. Mysticism can lead to the revitalisation of the body of Christ and inspire the church to approach the 21st century with vitality, confidence and hope.

1. Kourie 1998: 441, Kourie 1993: 7
2. Kourie 1993: 17
3. Kourie 1993: 10

Bibliography

Borchert, B 1994. Mysticism. Its History and Challenge. Maine, York Beach: Samuel Weiser, Inc.

Dunnell, T, Twenty First Century Challenge Some dreams, thoughts and reflections. www.fyt.org.uk/pdf/21CC.pdf

Green, B, Can John 6:51 give us a spirituality suitable for the present day? http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/research/theology/bet_green.htm

Jones, C, Wainwright, G & Yarnold, E (eds) 1986. The Study of Spirituality. London: SPCK.

Kourie, C 1992. Mysticism. A Survey of recent issues. JSR 4(2) 83-103.

Kourie, C 1993. Myth and Mysticism, in Clasquin, M, Ferreira-Ross, J, Marias, D & Sadowsky, R (eds) Myth and interdisciplinary Studies. Pretoria: Unisa.

Kourie, C 1998. Transformative Symbolism in the New Testament. Myth and Symbol 3,3-24.

Kourie, C 1998. Mysticism: Gift for the Church. Neotestamentica 32 (3) 433-457.

McGinn, B 1991. The Foundations of Mysticism. London: SCM.

Underhill, E 1993. Mysticism. The Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness. Oxford: Oneworld Publications.

Wakefield, G (ed) 1983. A Dictionary of Christian Spirituality. London: SCM Press Ltd.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Matthew 5:3-12

What do you make of this? Does it mean that you have to strive to be poor in many respects? To be sad, shy, avoid conflict, keep quiet when you are abused and just endure being treated poorly? Is this a description of what you have to be like and how you have to behave before Jesus will bless you?

No. Remember, Jesus was speaking to a specific group of people in particular circumstances at a particular time in history. Before jumping to conclusions about what He meant when He said something, and what those words mean for you personally, you should first consider the historical context.

The crowd that followed Jesus around and to whom the words above are directed were mainly ordinary Jews, but there were usually also a few Pharisees who were listening. The ordinary Jews had two powerful forces to contend with:

First, their country was occupied by Roman troops. They were not free to govern themselves and were powerless against the Romans. Second, the religious leaders in the Jewish community (the Pharisees) had a lot of power. The synagogues were under their control and they have compiled a long list of rules that they regarded as just as important for the Jews as the written Torah (the Jewish Scripture).

The Pharisees thought a lot of themselves and their knowledge of God’s law. They saw themselves as God’s favourites. As a result, the message that the ordinary folk heard when they went to the synagogues to serve God was that they were not nearly good enough. They had to follow all the rules that the Pharisees have made up and make a lot of sacrificial offerings before God would bless them.

Jesus was in constant conflict with the Pharisees over this and they were ultimately the ones who brought the accusations against Him that led to his crucifixion. Jesus called them hypocrites, blind fools, full of greed and self-indulgence and whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean (Matthew 23:15-27).

When talking to the ordinary people, Jesus said that what the religious leaders have taught them were not right. In the passage above, he said that it was not the learned, powerful Pharisees that were in God’s favour, it was the ordinary people who are and will be blessed by God. Those who were being oppressed, who had no voice, who do not have all this religious knowledge to brag about, who are not impressive or successful in the eyes of the world, are the ones who God looks upon with favour.

Jesus spoke these words to encourage the weak and poor who are listening to Him by assuring them that his gospel did not make only those happy that were important because of their gifts, graces, wealth, and usefulness. No, even the most unimportant person on earth, who had the right attitude towards God in his heart, enjoys the blessings and privileges of the kingdom of God.

Written by Kenneth Boa

• I am a child of God.
But to all who have received him–those who believe in his name–he has given the right to become God’s children … (John 1:12).

• I am a branch of the true vine, and a conduit of Christ’s life.
I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me–and I in him–bears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing (John 15:1, 5).

• I am a friend of Jesus.
I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father (John 15:15).

• I have been justified and redeemed.
But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24).

• My old self was crucified with Christ, and I am no longer a slave to sin.
We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin (Romans 6:6).

• I will not be condemned by God.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).

• I have been set free from the law of sin and death.
For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).

• As a child of God, I am a fellow heir with Christ.
And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ)–if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him (Romans 8:17).

• I have been accepted by Christ.
Receive one another, then, just as Christ also received you, to God’s glory (Romans 15:7).

• I have been called to be a saint.
… To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be saints, with all those in every place who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours (1 Corinthians 1:2). (See also Ephesians 1:1, Philippians 1:1, and Colossians 1:2.)

• In Christ Jesus, I have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
He is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption … (1 Corinthians 1:30).

• My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in me.
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you (1 Corinthians 6:19)?

• I am joined to the Lord and am one spirit with Him.
But the one united with the Lord is one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17).

• God leads me in the triumph and knowledge of Christ.
But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and who makes known through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place (2 Corinthians 2:14).

• The hardening of my mind has been removed in Christ.
But their minds were closed. For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read./netbible2/index.php?header=&book=2co&chapter=3 It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away (2 Corinthians 3:14).

• I am a new creature in Christ.
So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away–look, what is new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17)!

• I have become the righteousness of God in Christ.
God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

• I have been made one with all who are in Christ Jesus.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female–for all of you are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).

• I am no longer a slave, but a child and an heir.
So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son, then you are also an heir through God (Galatians 4:7).

• I have been set free in Christ.
For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1).

• I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).

• I am chosen, holy, and blameless before God.
For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love (Ephesians 1:4).

• I am redeemed and forgiven by the grace of Christ.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace (Ephesians 1:7).

• I have been predestined by God to obtain an inheritance.
In Christ we too have been claimed as God’s own possession, since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will (Ephesians 1:11).

• I have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)–when you believed in Christ–you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).

• Because of God’s mercy and love, I have been made alive with Christ.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you are saved (Ephesians 2:4-5)!

• I am seated in the heavenly places with Christ.
… And he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus … (Ephesians 2:6).

• I am God’s workmanship created to produce good works.
For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them (Ephesians 2:10).

• I have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ.
But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:13).

• I am a member of Christ’s body and a partaker of His promise.
… The Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:6). (See also Ephesians 5:30.)

• I have boldness and confident access to God through faith in Christ.
… In whom we have boldness and confident access to God because of Christ’s faithfulness (Ephesians 3:12).

• My new self is righteous and holy.
… Put on the new man who has been created in God’s image–in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth (Ephesians 4:24).

• I was formerly darkness, but now I am light in the Lord.
… For you were at one time darkness, but now you are/netbible2/index.php?header=&book=eph&chapter=5 light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light (Ephesians 5:8).

• I am a citizen of heaven.
But our citizenship is in heaven–and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ … (Philippians 3:20).

• The peace of God guards my heart and mind.
And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).

• God supplies all my needs.
And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

• I have been made complete in Christ.
… You have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority (Colossians 2:10).

• I have been raised up with Christ.
Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1).

• My life is hidden with Christ in God.
… For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

• Christ is my life, and I will be revealed with Him in glory.
When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him (Colossians 3:4).

• I have been chosen of God, and I am holy and beloved.
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience … (Colossians 3:12).

• God loves me and has chosen me.
We know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you … (1 Thessalonians 1:4).

The more we embrace these truths from Scripture about who we have become in Christ, the more stable, grateful, and fully assured we will be in this world.

Many of us today live in joyless discipline. We spend long hours doing work we don’t enjoy in dreary offices where any form of play is sternly prohibited as unproductive. We have been influenced to see people as worthy only to the extent that they are useful and productive. Even our leisure activities are carefully planned and organised to achieve as much as possible. No wonder we are ill, depressed and burnt out.

We ask ourselves: for what purpose am I here? Am I useful? Can I make myself useful? If we see the meaning of life only in being useful, we come before a crisis when we encounter illness, loss and mourning. Everything, including ourselves, then seems useless.

We need to change the way we think about God, his creation and ourselves. God did not have to create us to complete Himself, or to perform a task that He needed us to do. He joyfully brought Creation into existence as an extension of Himself. Let’s call it a playful celebration, which we are invited to be a part of. We were created to live joyfully in Him; in being aware of Him; in constant communication with Him.

You are a part of the Creator God, you share in his nature and his glory and are free to enjoy his presence.

Read again what God said about you; about who you are.

Resources:

Jürgen Moltmann 1971. Theology and Joy. London: SCM Press Ltd.

Nicene Creed:

The Nicene Creed is the most widely accepted Christian statement of faith and was adopted by the Church in the year 325.
It was developed to help identify people who are Christians:

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, light from light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father [and the Son],
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

尼西亞信經

1. 我信獨一上帝，全能的父，創造天地和有形無形萬物的主。
2. 我信獨一主耶穌基督，上帝的獨生子，在萬世以前為父所生，
出于神而為神，出于光而為光，出于真神而為真神，受生
而非被造，與父一體，萬物都是借著瓷造的；
3. 為要拯救我們世人，從天降臨，因著聖靈，並從童女馬利
亞成肉身，而為人；
4. 在本丟彼拉多手下，為我們釘于十字架上，受難，埋葬；
5. 照聖經第三天復活；
6. 並升天，坐在父的右邊；
7. 將來必有榮耀再降臨，審判活人死人；瓷的國度永無窮盡；
8. 我信聖靈，賜生命的主，從父和子出來，與父子同受敬拜，
同受尊榮，瓷曾借眾先知說話。
9. 我信獨一神聖大公使徒的教會；
10. 我認使罪得赦的獨一洗禮；
11. 我望死人復活；
12. 並來世生命。

Translated by Dr. Charles Chao D. D.
Copyright Reformation Translation Fellowship