Wholeness: For your own good

"It's for your own good." We hear this statement a lot, especially while growing up. Sometimes it's actually true, sometimes not. Sometimes we honestly believe it's true when we say it ourselves, even when our motives are not absolutely selfless. Sometimes we can't see past our nose well enough to realize others may need something different from us. Even when it is true, if we frame our demands so negatively, people have a hard time believing it. This practice of saying things are for their own good critically, or when it's more about us, can end up causing people to believe what is actually for their own good, isn't. 

Holiness truly is for our own good. It doesn't always feel that way, but much of that comes back to a poor understanding of the concept, and faulty teaching methods. The often-overlooked wholeness aspect of holiness that I have revolved this series on is proof that holiness is for our own good. Since true holiness leads to healing and completeness, not just surface righteousness. This is how agape love fits into the gospel.

Yet, those who try to bypass this dimension of holiness obviously care not for the brokenness behind the sin or the trauma that caused it. They obviously only care about the part that affects them, your behavior, or their pride. This is how agape love gets removed from the gospel. The irony of this is that such people often act as if they are the superior ones, despite this blatant omission from the gospel.

It's such a basic yet fundamental truth. Yet, its exclusion or inclusion can have a tremendous impact on the effectiveness of our ministry. Notice I used the word effective, not successful. Our craving for success in large numbers can often cause us to cut corners in our holiness, and ministry. Which is absolutely about self, not God's will.

"My biggest fear is that I'll have a good preacher, pretty worship, raise money, and the right people, and not make one disciple."

"If your vision is for a big church and not a big impact, you've got it wrong"

"We've minimized discipleship so much that we tell people what to do instead of walking with them." -Albert Tate

I said this last time, but it's worth repeating. Purpose gives us a place in the kingdom of God. Living out our purpose leads to fulfillment, as well as touching the lives of others in a positive way. This can lead the people we touch to walk the path of wholeness, and eventually purpose themselves. So this model has a self-perpetuating dynamic to it. Not embracing all three dimensions of holiness will absolutely throw off this dynamic. Being more concerned about your own good, than the good of others can derail this vital cycle in the church as well. Yet in our shortsightedness, we have indeed broken the cycle. This heresy has gone on long enough that we are reaping much rotten fruit; as a result. It's about time we revisit our foundation and patch the holes that we have left. It’s for your own good, as well as the church.

The Visual PARABLEist