|
Contrasts the self-righteousness of the Pharisee above with the following New Testament passages:
1Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. 3Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace. (Ephesians 4, NLT)
2Now make me completely happy (i.e. joyful)! Live in harmony by showing love for each other. Be united in what you think, as if you were only one person. 3Don't be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. 4Care about them as much as you care about yourselves. (Philippians 2, CEV)
Likewise, the Book of Galatians has a list of the Fruit of the Spirit. Notice that each aspect of the Fruit is a relational term; for example, “peace” is not only a subjective, inner state of mind, but an attribute of Community-in-Christ.
22But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness (or, generosity), faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the [Jewish] law. (Galatians 5, NLT)
This union of personal holiness and social holiness The United Methodist Church, following John Wesley, calls “scriptural holiness.” Wesley spoke of “works of piety” and “works of mercy.” He, following the Gospel, as well as the Old Testament Scripture, saw the essentiality for agreement between our spiritual formation and our compassion toward others. However, here, too, we can fall into a subtle temptation. We can serve others as in need of us, while we feel fortunate to help these who are, somehow, still not as good as us. This is as much prideful as the refusal to help is an expression of our self-reliance and self-infatuation.
Steven Harper well spoke of the purpose of works of piety, what we today often call spiritual disciplines. He wrote, “Through the works of piety, we are invited by the living God to have our hearts warmed at the fires of gracious love” (“Works of Piety as Spiritual Formation,” in Paul W. Chilcote, Ed., The Wesleyan Tradition: A Paradigm for Renewal).
|
|
Therefore, as Wesley spoke of “means of grace,” we must be careful not to turn spiritual formation into a program of self-help. For these means are “means of grace.” These means do not arise from inferior motives of psychological, religious, or spiritual adjustment to the prevailing norms of our pleasure seeking, pain eschewing, and entertainment enthralled culture. In short, our culture is not Christo-form, and the “means of grace” are to shape us into a form of true goodness, or godness.
The role of all works of piety is transformatively to expose us, through and through, to gracious love. Works of piety, then, are never an end in themselves, or we will simply solidify an odious self-looking that looks down the nose at all the supposed less enlightened, sinners, and less spiritually evolved ones. Over time, if our intent is to be shaped into the likeness of Christ, becoming more like Christ we will find ourselves more disposed to acting graciously and humble toward others. We will grow to see them as fellow beings on this Journey with us, not below or against us. We will not see them as individuals contrasted with us as right or wrong, better or worse, saved or damned, the same or different. We will have no need to feel or speak superiorly to any other, even those who appear to do the most heinous things. We will grow to speak gently and humbly, and our strength will be our love, even in our choosing to bear loss or pain for the good of others, as well as to enjoy times of unspeakable joy and communion with like lovers and those who appear much unlike us. Amen!
Spiritual Exercises
1. Take a few moments to explore the motives for your practice of works of piety, or spiritual disciplines?
2. If you have become lax in your practice of spiritual disciplines, renew your commitment to the daily diligence that will keep you before the fire of divine love.
3. If you are not in a group of spiritual accountability, get in one or form one of like-intented persons.
4. If you sense any propensity toward judging others as less spiritual or right than you, offer that to God, praying that you will become more “humble” and “gentle” in how you treat and esteem others.
5. Do some prayerful reflection on the following passage. What is the Spirit saying to you through it?
15When others are joyful, be joyful with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow. 16Live in harmony with each other. Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all! 17Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. (Romans 5, NLT Adapted)
|
