BE THE REAL DEAL

BE THE REAL DEAL

Have you ever heard someone sum up the life of another by saying “He’s or she’s the real deal”?  In other words, the other person is not a fake.  They’re not phony.  They're a diamond, not just glass.  They're real gold, not just gold leaf. What you see on the outside is real on the inside.  It's especially impressive when it means that you are a real, altogether Christian, that you profoundly love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, spirit and soul and that your love for God spills over into a profound love for others, even for people who are truly unlovable.

I have friends who are the real deal.  Inside and out, they are like Christ.  Christ lives in them.  They are humble like Christ.  The way they live and love is transparent. They shine. When you are with them, you see Jesus.  They are not just real Christians in outer form.  They are Christ-like in essence, in their nature and character.  When you are with them, you understand what holiness is and you see the impact of holiness on others with whom they keep company.

To speak of persons who walk in holiness, it helps to think of the essence of holiness and the forms it takes in relation to one another.  They are not the same.  Form always translates essence.  Form carries essence.  It communicates essence and makes it known.  We can well say that form incarnates essence as in John 1:14 -  “The Word became flesh, and we beheld its glory as the only son of the Father full of (essence) grace and truth.” The essence of holiness is God’s gift of his very self, the presence of God in the Christian’s life when in obedience he/she consecrates one’s self to God and is sanctified by God, Emmanuel, God with us and in us.  Its not just about image.  Its about God’s nature becoming one’s “innage”.  The essence of God, the Holy Spirit, fills and dwells in the form of ourselves, personally and intimately.  Form carries essence, but form can lose its essence, yet continue on as a hollow shell.  Some people and some churches are like that.

Essence is translated into form.  The relationship is always dynamic while the essence is always the same.  We see this in the words of Isaiah (54:2):  “Let out the curtains of your tent, don’t hold back.  But lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes.”  This is to say, as a people with a calling, mission, and purpose, don’t be afraid to evolve, develop, grow, mature, prosper, change and expand in your capacity to love, in your role and function.  But, be sure to drive your stakes down into first things, first commandments and commitments, primary priorities.  In short, as form you may change, but in the words of Jesus, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness." Or in other words found in 1 Peter 1:15-16, “But just as he has called you is holy, so be holy in all you do and just don’t act holy, for it is written 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" (Leviticus 11:45,46; 19:2; 20:7)  While you may change, mature, and be transformed, don’t lose the essence of Christ in you, the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Be the real deal not on the outside only, but especially on the inside.  In Christ you will hopefully change in form as Christ continues to shape the clay of your life into forms ever more functional and beautiful.  We call that spiritual formation and maturity.  The vessel made of clay is shaped for a purpose.  As beautiful as it may be, it is also shaped for service, to be filled with the Spirit and to be poured out, then filled and poured out again and again.  To be the real deal, seek to go beyond spiritual formation.  Whatever the form, be continually filled and poured out with the essence of God whose nature is pure, holy love.

Be the real deal . . . “Be Holy because I am holy.”

Leviticus 11:45,46

“Be filled with the Spirit”

Ephesians 5:18