Christians have often really muffed living out the life of Christ, especially in circumstances where they found establishment privilege and could slack off and still survive. That makes for a poor witness.
The New Testament book of Hebrews points back at the Old Testament in many places, declaring the presence of the pre-incarnate Christ in places that modern Christians don’t think a lot about. For example, in the cloud of fire and pillar of smoke that escorted the Hebrews on their way in the Exodus from Egypt to the promised land. Because it’s all but ignored by modern Christians, the chance to talk about it is missed. But Christ isn’t just a “Christmas and Easter” Christ. He would not have been able to apply an Old Testament promise to the Jewish people if that is all He was. How much easier it would have been for me to understand if I could have seen past even Christmas and Easter, even though now I appreciate how important they are.
The outreach of Christ to the gentiles came with the hazard of a poor witness to the Jews. God took all that into account in His plan. And I believe through observation that quietly, many Jews do embrace the spirit of Christ — the same Christ who delivered them from Egypt — as best they can in their confused situation. As is said, a mist in the pulpit is a fog in the pew. The additional story explains some crucial things, but as the Transfiguration example of Moses and Elijah shows, not needed to be understood on earth by those delivered in order that Christ delivers from the power of the Evil One.
Have they ever...And I put myself at the head of that list.
I mean so well, but I am so frikken human.
Yes, I am filled with the Holy Spirit, but I am still a maniac (though I can see the Lord at work in me).
As Charles Stanley says to me every Sunday morning on TV, hang in there...God has a hook in your mouth and is bringing you home.
When I was young, I thought I could be an asset to the Lord.
As I matured, I realized that the Lord was an asset to me...and I was nothing without Him.