The theology of the Cross is backwards from the world. As I read Luke 6:20-38 and 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 this morning, I feel convicted that I do not have a generous heart. I am too connected to material things in the fleshly life instead of eternal things in the spiritual life.
L 6:24 "What sorrow awaits you who are rich,
for you have your only happiness now.
25 What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now,
for a time of awful hunger awaits you.
What sorrow awaits you who laugh now,
for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow.
26 What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds,
for their ancestors also praised false prophets. ...
for you have your only happiness now.
25 What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now,
for a time of awful hunger awaits you.
What sorrow awaits you who laugh now,
for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow.
26 What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds,
for their ancestors also praised false prophets. ...
Those verses sound a lot like church-attending "Christians" in the US to me, myself included. The frequency of lawsuits in the US is an indicator of the level of materialism in our society.
1 Cor 6:7 Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers. 9 Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
L 6:30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don't try to get them back. ...
35 "Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
L 6:30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don't try to get them back. ...
35 "Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
Heavenly Father, thank you for convicting me of materialism. Now, Lord, please deliver me from it. Heavenly Father, make me as generous as you, who gave up your only Son. Lord Jesus, make me as generous as you, who gave up your life on the Cross. Holy Spirit, please grow my spirit and set my mind on the spirit instead of the flesh. Lord, I want to be empty of me so that I can be filled with you. May I be poor in spirit so that I may be rich in Christ. I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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