I don’t know how many people use
the M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan. This is the first year I’ve used it in a
long time. In the readings for March 16 I noticed something curious.
In John 6:63 Jesus said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the
flesh is no help at all” (ESV). Then in Galatians 2 Paul wrote
that those “who seemed influential added nothing to me. On the
contrary… He who worked
through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked
also through me for mine to the Gentiles” (6-8). Wait a second—who
were Peter and Paul? The ESV Study Bible describes Peter as a
“middle-class fisherman who very likely knew Greek from his youth”
(2402). Paul (Saul) was a Jew educated under Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). So
the fisherman was sent with the gospel to the Jews and the educated
Jew was sent to the Gentiles. It appears that God intentionally sent
them outside their comfort zones so that they would have to rely on
Him and not on their own abilities.
Paul was eager to set aside his
accomplishments as zealous Jew— “But whatever gain I had, I
counted as loss for the sake of Christ” (Philippians 3:7). Though
his education did aid him in his teaching and writing, he learned
that human strength and ingenuity wouldn’t accomplish the ministry
he was given. “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that
show my weakness” (2 Corinthians 11:30). Peter proclaimed that “His
divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and
godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own
glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3). All that he needed came from
God, not from his own efforts.
The same is true for us. We tend to
think that we are saved by grace but then everything else is up to
us. Watchman Nee, though not the best of theologians, was correct in
writing, “The Christian life from start to finish is based upon
this principle of utter dependence upon the Lord Jesus.” As soon as
we rely on ourselves for anything, we are on thin ice.
J. C. Ryle wrote in The Cross: Crucified with Christ, and Christ Alive in Me:
“…no
minister, no layman—no one man could ever be named who did so many
good works as the apostle Paul. But did he ever glory in them as if
they were in the least meritorious and could save his soul? Never!
Never for one moment!
“…Who is
there among the readers of this book that trusts in his church
membership for salvation? Who values himself on his baptism, his
attendance at the Lord’s Table, his church attendance on Sundays,
or his daily services during the week and says to himself, ‘What do
I lack?’ Learn today that you are not like Paul. Your Christianity
is not the Christianity of the New Testament. Paul would not glory in
anything but the cross. Neither should you…
“Work for God
and Christ with heart and soul and mind and strength, but never dream
for a second of placing confidence in any work of your own” (ch.
1).
Everything that reveals our weakness
is an opportunity to remember God’s perfect strength. Even our
abilities and strengths will come to an end sooner or later, but His
never will. That way God is the One to get all the glory, which is
the way it’s supposed to be.
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As
the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4).
© 2020 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.
