"M U S T"
A person - often a complete stranger - would come up to me and say something like 'you must take me to .....' or 'you must give me your watch'!
I was somewhat aghast at what I felt was such impolite and brazen behaviour.
I have since learnt that it seems to be more of a mix of an element of urban brazen behaviour with a mis-use of an english word along with a cultural perspective that to say such a thing is a kind of honouring of the person it is said to (me), because they have chosen me out of everyone to maybe favour them….I am the one they have honoured with their request.
The context is usually more than a simple 'western' request, and edges on a strong expectation that their 'choice' of you or your possession is something that should not be refused. I have never become used to such requests/demands but I can say that I am slightly less offended than I was at first.
However, I have been reminded of a few 'must' statements in Scripture that bring other challenges to the dynamic of mis-placed honour in our world.
Some of these are in John chapter 3 and surround verse 16 which is probably the best known verse of the New Testament:
v16 For God so loved the world that he gave is only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
1. You MUST be born again.(v7)
There is no other way to God. This is an imperative requirement. You have to start again with a new identity. Your old self ruled by sin is to be dead and a new life is to begin. There is no place for hanging onto the past and the pleasures of sin.
A new citizenship begins and a new membership and allegience has to rule.
Your earthly cultural identity and honour of your position don't count for eternity and are of no significance in your standing before God. You enter a new Kingdom, get a new name, a new Father, a new elder Brother, a new destiny.
You are to have a new mind (the mind of Christ), renewed in truth in such a way that it transforms your existence.
2. The Son of Man MUST be lifted up. (v14)
There is no other way for sin to be atoned for. Jesus had to die.
Our good works and the honour of our achievements count for nothing. We cannot save ourselves. We need a Saviour.
The only way to a new identity is to be born again into the 'identity' of Christ. The only way we can have our death penalty for sin justly administered is for it to be placed on Jesus. The only way for us to know new life is to receive new life in Christ.....a life He has the authority to give because of His victory over death in His resurrection.
If we are to be saved we must acknowledge and honour Jesus Christ as the only one who can save us and reconcile us to God.
3. He MUST increase and I MUST decrease. (v30)
Our Christian life is about the reduction of self and the magnification of Christ.
It's about humility as the road to true honour.
It's about letting go of our own agendas, ambitions, desires and goals to enjoin ourselves to His agenda and desires.
It's about no longer pleasing self, but pleasing the Lord. It's about pointing people to Christ and not ourselves.
It's about letting go of honour in the eyes of others to gain honour in the eyes of God our new Father.
It's about caring not for our own reputation but for the honour of Christ.
It's about denying ourselves and pursuing godliness.
It's about letting go of our wants and seeking and doing what He wants.
It's about ceasing to depend on ourselves and our abilities and 'connections' and rather depending on the One who gave His life for us so that He could give His life to us so that He could live His life through us.
It's about others seeing your life and hearing your words and not following you, but following Jesus.
The truth is that there is a MUST imperative.....and it has nothing to do with feeling honoured by people around me.
It has everything to do with honouring the One who made me and gave Himself for my salvation from sin.
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