Charge

Sometimes I wonder if we know what this is all about, or if we even want to know. We tend toward comfort, peace and easy understanding. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but we resist having our comfort, peace and thinking challenged. And we really raise eyebrows when the talk starts sounding strange.
And this indeed is the source of my bewilderment, because our story starts off smack dab in the middle of strange.

Here’s The Word:

Ephesians 2:1-3 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

We were dead, like many who still are. We walked in allegiance with a spirit that influences to disobedience, evidenced by the self-fulfilling actions and thoughts we happily embrace. Without any other thing happening, this reality sealed our fate, rightfully reserving us a place in the full wrath of an Almighty God. Yet something DID happen; That Almighty God mercifully considered our helpless estate and by something way more involved than the snap of a finger, He brought us to Himself. At the greatest cost to Himself, He brought us to life.
Have you ever thought long and hard about that? To say the least, it’s strange.

The letters of the Apostle Paul to Timothy are something awesome! Even though they’re written from an old pastor, to a new one: In them, we see an idea presented that should affect us all. The Charge.
The charge is different from the law. Different from statutes, judgements and commandments. Why is this interesting? I’ve heard more than a few people pontificate on how we’re free from the Law…and as is Biblically presented, I wholeheartedly agree. I’ve heard more than a few people committed to avoiding “judgements” at all cost. Lastly, I’ve heard the arguments on how the commandments are not valid for those of us “in Christ” because He gave us a new commandment, simply rooted and expressed in love…So then what is the charge?

Deuteronomy 11:1 Therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.

The word charge mainly means what we think it means – but I’ll paraphrase it to avoid the words; law, commandment and judgement. And in trying to state it plainly in today’s vernacular, it conveys – "Here are some things concerning the promotion, protection and profession of your new life that need to be much more than just real to you, but they need to STAY real to you."
Charges are authoritative pronouncements that don’t save you, they prove your salvation and appropriate the power of The Spirit in your “new life”.

Here’s The Word:

1 Timothy 5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

As the word says, and bears reiteration – put no confidence in the flesh. (Phil 3:3), it’s the last evidence of an old system that is dying away. It doesn’t save. It can’t. It can however, remember desires, push for comfort and rationalize things that have zero benefit to new life. This is why we (purpose to) die daily (1 Cor 15:31), and keep our flesh under subjection(1 Cor 9:27). There's so much Biblical truth that focuses on our conduct. Our fruit. We’re absolutely correct to be mindful in regards to why we do what we do. We don’t do in order to BE saved; once we’re in Christ, there are things we're charged to do that can only be done rightly, if we ARE saved.

Think about it. Christ defeated death (huh?) and gives us power and insight into this life and the life to come. It’s strange but true: You live in a weird world. There’s principalities and powers, spirits and circumstances that go far beyond this temporal plane of existence. It’s important see this reality, accept it for what it is and embrace what it has to offer. Don’t get lulled back to sleep by desires for comfort, peace and easy understanding. Keep these charges, prove your allegiance and give evidence to Whom you belong.


In Him,
Cros