Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Something I've never seen before

Take a moment to read these texts and then ask yourself what's the difference in Samson and Paul? I'm not looking for 'Paul had the Spirit' or 'Samson was before Christ.' What was the difference in the way they lived their lives?

Luke 9:23 “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

1 Corinthians 15:31 "I die everyday"

Galatians 2:20 " I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Galatians 5:24 "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."

Philippians 3:8 "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ."

2 comments:

chumly said...

The difference was in the times and the way the religion was evolving.

Paul said...

Yes, as far as salvation history goes there was a clear difference between the Old Testament annointing by the Spirit and the New Testament indwelling of the Spirit. The difference being the physical presence of Jesus Christ on this earth to fulfill all righteousness who would die, rise, ascend, and send the Spirit.

Yet aside from the difference in the annointing and indwelling there is the focus of the heart. Samson did what was right in his own eyes as a lover of self. Paul sought to daily die to self that he might do what was right in God's eyes. Samson was a lover of self while Paul was a lover of God.