Cotton-balled-self-esteem-Christianity.

So I guess the lack of posts on this site shows you that I am either uninspired or have had relatively few thoughts. Both of these have some truth as pregnancy seriously diminishes my brain power daily.

But mainly, it's just because when I think of writing something, I notice that those interesting thoughts have left me throughout the day. All that's there when I sit down here to type is a list of unfinished jobs around the house and the thought of what to cook for the evening.

But here's one for you.

(Aside- I probably haven't explained my view on this at all well. So I apologise for my crude thought process.) 

Several Christians have said recently comments along the lines of "Just because someone doesn't want to hear what you have to say about Jesus doesn't mean they're rejecting you. Don't feel bad about it. They're just rejecting God." 

Lunacy, I tell you! I think these phrases have been passed around a little too liberally in our Christian circles, given that they are absolute rubbish. 

We try to make ourselves feel better about being rejected by friends or colleagues by offloading their rejection so that Christ is separate from us. But if we are in Christ, we are united with Christ. 'I no longer live, but Christ lives in me' (Gal. 2:20) 

This is the only way I am saved from my sin. I am in Christ and he has suffered for my sin.  Me and Christ are together now. No longer separable. This is how salvation works. We are NOT Christ, but we are so linked with him when we accept him into our hearts, that the bible talks as us as being united with him. 'God made him, (Jesus) who had no sin, to be sin for us, so that IN HIM we might become the righteousness of God.' (2 Cor 5:21)

We are also united with Jesus in his resurrection. Christ is raised on high, and I am raised with him. "When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear WITH HIM in glory" (Col 3:4) 

I want to love this rejection from man! This is part of our fellowship with Christ, we shouldn't distance our participation in it or take us out of the equation! Paul explains in Philippians 3:10 'I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.' 

Moreover, part of Christ's suffering's was his rejection from man ' He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering' (Isaiah 53:3)

And Jesus explains clearly how we are to take this rejection from man. 

Jesus instructed seventy two of his followers to go into the towns before him, proclaiming that the Kingdom of God is near. He directs their thoughts to the outcome of those words "He who listens to you, listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me". 

Nowhere in this great speech does he say, "but don't worry, if they reject me, they aren't rejecting you. Don't take this personally or let this little growth opportunity damage your self-esteem, ok?" That sounds to me like our cotton-balled Westernised culture coming through, rather than the reality of the situation.

The thought of people rejecting Christ, but not myself who is preaching Christ, is an entire fabrication and quite offensive to God. They cannot reject Christ without rejecting ME. We can't be torn apart like that, and why would you want to do it anyway? This kind of talk reminds me of what Peter, a friend of Jesus, spouted at Jesus' capture. He tried to distance himself from his friendship with Christ in the same way that we do today to prevent the same rejection of man. 'A servant girl saw (Peter) seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said "This man was with him." But (Peter) denied it. "Woman, I don't know him." '

If only our response was the same as Peter's when he realised his insult to God. Because Peter "went outside and wept bitterly." (Luke 22:62) We sometimes look at examples such as Peter in the bible and we think "Man, that guys loser. Jesus, our Lord was right there with him, and he still rejected him. What an idiot!" But this man didn't have Jesus living inside him. The spirit had not been poured out. How much more should we be ashamed of ourselves when we think or say stuff like this, with God's spirit living IN US. We should be ashamed and weep bitterly over our sin. And as we do, bring it before the Lord of all so he can carry our burdens and relieve us of our suffering. 

What an excellent God lives in us!