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As He is

Galatians 4:4-5
But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

In Jesus Christ we are not creatures, we are sons.  Sons and daughters of God!  Not willful, disobedient sons, for “as He is, so are we in this world”.

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Who is us?

Galatians 3:13
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.

Who is “us”?  In one sense the world, “…not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world.”

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By the grace of God

Galatians 2:20-21
And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God.

That our salvation—from beginning to end—is by the grace of God has always been a basic tenet of the faith once for all delivered to the saints.  I cannot imagine any “saint” down through church history who would have said otherwise.

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Always

“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed….For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” 
Galatians 1:8, 11-12

I want to believe and live out what the Church has always believed and lived out—no matter how simplistic that sounds.

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Weak in Him

2 Corinthians 13:4
For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God.

How are we, along with the apostle, weak in Him? We are all familiar with the verse, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”. Weak in ourselves, sure, but weak in Christ?

We are weak in the flesh—our bodies are subject to death and corruption. Christ took on flesh and in so doing became subject to death, even death on a cross. Yet He was raised to life by the power of God, and because He lives…

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As an offering

2 Corinthians 12:10
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities…, in needs…in distresses, for Christ’s sake.

It is wrong-headed to think, “I know I’ll be able to serve Christ in some way when I’m feeling better.”, or, “I’ve got a lot on my plate right now, but when things settle down…”  Christ is the Lord of my life today, whether I’m feeling good or not so good, whether I’m extremely busy or able to relax.  So give it to Him.  Present it as an offering.  Bring a sacrifice of praise.

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Do not suffer fools

2 Corinthians 11:3, 19
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ….For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

There is no end to theological debate.  Better said—there is an end, and the end is Jesus Christ.  He is the Omega, as well as the Alpha, and all things in between.

So eat the fish, but spit out the bones.  And be careful not to put anyone on too high a pedastel, and do not suffer fools (or foolish speculations) gladly.

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Lone and dreary

2 Corinthians 10:1
… by the meekness and gentleness of Christ. 

Christ was fully God.  Christ was fully man.  Consider this verse from an 1821 hymn, “Lead Us, Heavenly Father, Lead Us”, written by James Edmeston:

Saviour, breathe forgiveness o’er us;
All our weakness Thou dost know;
Thou didst tread this earth before us,
Thou didst feel its keenest woe;
Lone and dreary, faint and weary,
Through the desert Thou didst go.