MORPH 2: ONE PURITAN'S WAY
By Steve Behlke
I just read John Piper's book, Contending for Our All, an inspiring read, particularly in the midst of some of the things I have been facing. Within the book was another intentional "MORPH" idea based on the life of the famous Puritan of the 1600s, John Owen.
Among other things, John Owen had an intentional plan to pursue holiness (to MORPH), that might be useful fodder for some of us:
1. Maintain personal humility (humble yourself under the hand of God).
John Owen's was proud by nature. Yet, by God's grace, honest about his own sins and weaknesses and aware of the unique goodness that belongs to God alone, Owens maintained a personal humility before the Lord.
How can we do that? How can we bring before us the greatness and goodness that are in God alone and acknowledge our own sins and weaknesses? How do we do this without obsessing on our sins, but rather keeping our faith secure in the Gospel of God's Grace in Jesus Christ?
The church I am a part of has three worship gatherings each Sunday. In the first service, we read a written confession and we try to confess our sins together; then we sit for several moments in silent prayer with God. Sometimes this "read" confession actually "works" and I do connect with God and afterward I confess in more detail and I sense His love and forgiveness and cleansing. But too often, I seem to focus on my sins rather than God's infinite grace mediated to me through Jesus Christ. Often, I seem to feel more guilty than free.
I think confession truly works if when we are through discussing this with Christ we have in our hearts a firm belief in His forgiveness and we have a better grasp or a bigger picture of God's love and maybe even a humbler attitude of trust and hope and security in Christ.
When you think of humbling yourself under the hand of God how do you see His hand? Is it clenched in a fist, ready to swat your rear-end if you do wrong, or do you naturally see it as a strong and caring hand of loving protection, of as a hand to comfort and cleanse and pick you up and brush you off and carry you through the next round of life?
2. Obey known truth
Obedience is a way of walking with Christ, putting our trust in Christ (not just saying we trust Him). Can we honestly say we trust Him when we will not also obey Him?
Obeying God is a way of learning and growing in our knowledge of the grace of God in the face of Christ. Life now is not just about knowing, not just learning, but also becoming (MORPHING). If we're not becoming like Christ over time, if we're not revealing Christ, conveying truth and grace, then something seems to be wrong.
How do we do this? Obedience is always tied to trust. If you believe you trust Jesus in a certain area that you are not seeing Christlikeness, maybe, start small. What small things are you resisting to obey? Why? Or go for it all, what big things won't you, can't you, obey? Why won't you obey? What don't you trust? What don't you want to give up? What do you value more than Christ? (Yipes!)
3. Commune with Christ
For John Owen, communion with God was a great thing. It wasn't just mentally knowing, it included loving. To commune requires heart, treasuring Christ above all else. Partaking in Christ, abiding in Christ, experiencing God in a real way was of paramount importance to Owen. He prayed assiduously. He gave Christ his best meditations. He talked to Jesus as to his best Friend. He earnestly sought God's Person and Presence. This was fundamental to this early fundamentalist (back then, fundamentalist was a good term; and communing with Christ put the fun in fundamentalist).
How do you "commune with God"? Do you experience Christ in your heart, in an invisible but very real encounter? Where? When?
One place we should go for this, and this may sound dry and boring to some of us, but it should be in the Scriptures. Another time and place is during corporate worship with your church. Another is through intimate friendships with other Christians, i.e., your small group, etc.
But also, how about when you are with friends over dinner; when you are intimate with your spouse; or even when you are at work or ironing your shirts (does anybody iron anymore?)? How do we learn to commune with God at these times, too?
Here's some advice: in whatever you find yourself soaring in God's presence, do that more often!
4. Contending for the Gospel
According to this book, John Owen fed on Christ and upon the Gospel of Christ. He loved the Bible and the truth that it proclaimed. His heart was cast in the mold of God's truth. He communed with God in the study and obedience and also in the proclamation of the doctrine for which he so strongly contended. That's why he contended for it. And in the very act of lifting up Christ and God's Word in the midst of opposition - both within and outside of the Church - He grew to love the Lord His God and to be shaped into His very image (MORPHED into the image of Christ).
What is it about God, what truth captivates your heart, what about Jesus so moves you and compels you to speak and share and boast in Christ even in the midst of opposition to Christ, enemies of the cross, and mockers of the faith?
What about Jesus are you passionate about? For what are you willing to be made a fool for Christ? Pour yourself into it. Unleash this into your own life and conversations and practices.
I just read John Piper's book, Contending for Our All, an inspiring read, particularly in the midst of some of the things I have been facing. Within the book was another intentional "MORPH" idea based on the life of the famous Puritan of the 1600s, John Owen.
Among other things, John Owen had an intentional plan to pursue holiness (to MORPH), that might be useful fodder for some of us:
1. Maintain personal humility (humble yourself under the hand of God).
John Owen's was proud by nature. Yet, by God's grace, honest about his own sins and weaknesses and aware of the unique goodness that belongs to God alone, Owens maintained a personal humility before the Lord.
How can we do that? How can we bring before us the greatness and goodness that are in God alone and acknowledge our own sins and weaknesses? How do we do this without obsessing on our sins, but rather keeping our faith secure in the Gospel of God's Grace in Jesus Christ?
The church I am a part of has three worship gatherings each Sunday. In the first service, we read a written confession and we try to confess our sins together; then we sit for several moments in silent prayer with God. Sometimes this "read" confession actually "works" and I do connect with God and afterward I confess in more detail and I sense His love and forgiveness and cleansing. But too often, I seem to focus on my sins rather than God's infinite grace mediated to me through Jesus Christ. Often, I seem to feel more guilty than free.
I think confession truly works if when we are through discussing this with Christ we have in our hearts a firm belief in His forgiveness and we have a better grasp or a bigger picture of God's love and maybe even a humbler attitude of trust and hope and security in Christ.
When you think of humbling yourself under the hand of God how do you see His hand? Is it clenched in a fist, ready to swat your rear-end if you do wrong, or do you naturally see it as a strong and caring hand of loving protection, of as a hand to comfort and cleanse and pick you up and brush you off and carry you through the next round of life?
2. Obey known truth
Obedience is a way of walking with Christ, putting our trust in Christ (not just saying we trust Him). Can we honestly say we trust Him when we will not also obey Him?
Obeying God is a way of learning and growing in our knowledge of the grace of God in the face of Christ. Life now is not just about knowing, not just learning, but also becoming (MORPHING). If we're not becoming like Christ over time, if we're not revealing Christ, conveying truth and grace, then something seems to be wrong.
How do we do this? Obedience is always tied to trust. If you believe you trust Jesus in a certain area that you are not seeing Christlikeness, maybe, start small. What small things are you resisting to obey? Why? Or go for it all, what big things won't you, can't you, obey? Why won't you obey? What don't you trust? What don't you want to give up? What do you value more than Christ? (Yipes!)
3. Commune with Christ
For John Owen, communion with God was a great thing. It wasn't just mentally knowing, it included loving. To commune requires heart, treasuring Christ above all else. Partaking in Christ, abiding in Christ, experiencing God in a real way was of paramount importance to Owen. He prayed assiduously. He gave Christ his best meditations. He talked to Jesus as to his best Friend. He earnestly sought God's Person and Presence. This was fundamental to this early fundamentalist (back then, fundamentalist was a good term; and communing with Christ put the fun in fundamentalist).
How do you "commune with God"? Do you experience Christ in your heart, in an invisible but very real encounter? Where? When?
One place we should go for this, and this may sound dry and boring to some of us, but it should be in the Scriptures. Another time and place is during corporate worship with your church. Another is through intimate friendships with other Christians, i.e., your small group, etc.
But also, how about when you are with friends over dinner; when you are intimate with your spouse; or even when you are at work or ironing your shirts (does anybody iron anymore?)? How do we learn to commune with God at these times, too?
Here's some advice: in whatever you find yourself soaring in God's presence, do that more often!
4. Contending for the Gospel
According to this book, John Owen fed on Christ and upon the Gospel of Christ. He loved the Bible and the truth that it proclaimed. His heart was cast in the mold of God's truth. He communed with God in the study and obedience and also in the proclamation of the doctrine for which he so strongly contended. That's why he contended for it. And in the very act of lifting up Christ and God's Word in the midst of opposition - both within and outside of the Church - He grew to love the Lord His God and to be shaped into His very image (MORPHED into the image of Christ).
What is it about God, what truth captivates your heart, what about Jesus so moves you and compels you to speak and share and boast in Christ even in the midst of opposition to Christ, enemies of the cross, and mockers of the faith?
What about Jesus are you passionate about? For what are you willing to be made a fool for Christ? Pour yourself into it. Unleash this into your own life and conversations and practices.
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