The Barbarian Way
Erwin Raphael McManus writes in The Barbarian Way-
Perhaps the tragedy of our time is that such an overwhelming number of us who declare Jesus as Lord have become domesticated- or, if you will, civilized. We have lost the simplicity of our early faith. Beyond that, we have lost the passion and power of that raw, untamed, and primal faith. Maybe John was alluding to the Apocalypse when he told the church at Ephesus that they had lost their first love (Revelation 2:1-4). God's command to Israel was simply, "Love the LORD you God with all your heart and will all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments I give to you today are to be written on your hearts." (Dueteronomy 6:5-6). And when Jesus was asked, "What is the greatest of all the commandments?" and "How do I inherit eternal life?" His answer was the same, except to all that we are to love our neighbour as ourselves (Mark 10:17-19; 21:28-31.)
[I like this descriptive version of the result of salvation in Zechariah 3:9b-10: "...I will remove the sins of this land in a single day. And on that day, says the LORD Almighty, each of you will invite your neighbour into your home to share your peace and prosperity."]
McManus continues:
The barbarian way is about love, intimacy, passion and sacrifice. Barbarians love to live and live to love. For them God is life, and their mission is to reconnect humanity to Him. Their passion is that each of us might live in intimate communion with Him who died for us. The barbarian way is a path of both spirit and truth. The soul of the barbarian is made alive by the presence of Jesus.
Perhaps the tragedy of our time is that such an overwhelming number of us who declare Jesus as Lord have become domesticated- or, if you will, civilized. We have lost the simplicity of our early faith. Beyond that, we have lost the passion and power of that raw, untamed, and primal faith. Maybe John was alluding to the Apocalypse when he told the church at Ephesus that they had lost their first love (Revelation 2:1-4). God's command to Israel was simply, "Love the LORD you God with all your heart and will all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments I give to you today are to be written on your hearts." (Dueteronomy 6:5-6). And when Jesus was asked, "What is the greatest of all the commandments?" and "How do I inherit eternal life?" His answer was the same, except to all that we are to love our neighbour as ourselves (Mark 10:17-19; 21:28-31.)
[I like this descriptive version of the result of salvation in Zechariah 3:9b-10: "...I will remove the sins of this land in a single day. And on that day, says the LORD Almighty, each of you will invite your neighbour into your home to share your peace and prosperity."]
McManus continues:
The barbarian way is about love, intimacy, passion and sacrifice. Barbarians love to live and live to love. For them God is life, and their mission is to reconnect humanity to Him. Their passion is that each of us might live in intimate communion with Him who died for us. The barbarian way is a path of both spirit and truth. The soul of the barbarian is made alive by the presence of Jesus.
posted by pip @ 4:49 pm
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