Can’t judge a book by its cover

I’ve noticed something lately and over the years. And that is, sometimes when people look at me they assume I ‘keep the law”, or that I am ‘churchy’, religious, fundamental, or fire and brimstone. I make the conclusion from the feedback they give me concerning church doctrine. The assumption of thought is that my core motivation is according to the way I carry myself or lifestyle. In other words, I walk on a tightrope of religion, or am tip toeing spiritually when I walk to make sure every step is perfect. This totally contradicts Phil. 3. It says I am righteous through the faith of Christ not by my spiritual performance.

One thing is certain, and that is personality is not spirituality. A pastor who has a great personality is not authentic spirituality. Paul says in 1 Cor. 9:20-21 (NIV),

“To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.”

He did this because he really wanted to. He almost couldn’t help himself because God’s grace compelled and passively overwhelmed him which in turn actively manifested in everything he did.

I am of the opinion and say this with conviction in my heart with God as my witness, that Jesus was not totally outwardly impressive according to the flesh. And He was so for a reason. God has always wanted His people to grow in faith. Through biblical history, Israel always wanted something they could see and touch. In Phil. 2:7 it says of Christ, “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:” He endured the cross for ‘the joy set before Him’, Heb. 12:2. What joy?

False brothers would even spy on Paul and the brethren. Gal. 2:4, “And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:” Why would someone spy on them? To steal their liberty in Christ. To put law on them. Why? I think because the old nature is hell-bent on fear (without God’s love, 1 John 4:18) because of the separation at the Fall. The old nature apart from Christ, is desperate, obsessive, compulsive and always in lack, need and want. Paul says, ” O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”, Rom. 7:24. The Separator is Christ. Ironically, He separated Paul by reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5:18-19.

In John 20:15, after the resurrection, Mary thought Jesus was the gardener.

So, external appearance may not be what it seems. 2 Cor. 10:10-12.

Why would Paul then want to become like a Jew, act like he was under the law, act like he was not under the law? What was it about Paul and the brethren that compelled false brethren to spy on them?

To me, this speaks of something intangible, but made tangible through our lives. Paul calls it a mystery, indescribable gift, the Lord’s power at work in Him, resurrection power and so many other things in his epistles. So what is it? Figuratively speaking, in a nutshell that can compact an eternal, infinite mass (Col. 2:9), it is the revelation of Christ.