Setting our Focus Above
It is a fact: we live in a post-Christian culture. America is growing more and more hostile toward expressions of faith and overt devotion and all expressions of traditional Judeo-Christian values. In our current climate, choosing to lead a Christian life is not easy. Such a choice runs contrary to our culture and the expectations of most of mankind. The default position of the world is that we will blindly, perhaps even eagerly, follow them in their earthly, selfish pursuits. God, however, expects His followers to set our minds on the things of Heaven and deny ourselves, unashamedly and unapologetically.
Jesus emphasized the necessity of this attitude when He warned:
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” ~ Matthew 7:13-14
Likewise, the Apostle Paul exhorts us to keep our eyes on the true and lasting prize:
“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 3:14
So, what does it mean to set our minds on heavenly things – the things of God? What does it mean to deny ourselves? As professing followers of Jesus Christ, these are questions with which we must wrestle. Probing further, we need to ask ourselves if we are in any way ashamed of Jesus and His Word or have we abandoned heavenly pursuits and begun to set our minds on the things of man? It is important to regularly examine our heart in order to assess our level of commitment to the Lord and to the Gospel.
Based on our answers to the previous questions, I believe we have three choices as to our level of commitment:
- We can decide to put God’s will foremost in our lives some of the time.
- We can decide to put God’s will foremost in our lives most of the time.
- We can decide to put God’s will foremost in our lives all of the time.
Scripture shows us that Peter made each of these choices at different stages of his Christian life.
In Mark 8:31-38, we see Peter at the first level of commitment, foolishly rebuking Christ as Jesus taught His disciples that He must suffer and die. At this point in his life, Peter wanted to follow a comfortable version of Christianity, a version that affirmed his political and cultural worldview. He loved Jesus, but he only desired the pleasant things associated with following the Lord: the awesome miracles, the beautiful teaching, and the prestige of being close to Jesus as a member of His inner circle. Christ’s work on the cross and His death had no place in Peter’s theology and part-time commitment to God’s will.
There are many self-identifying Christians who are like Peter was early on in his time with Jesus. They try to coexist in two spheres of life – a Christian life focused on the abundant blessings God pours out on believers and a secular life focused on earthly comforts and achievements. But following Jesus also means facing trials, making difficult choices and sacrifices, and submitting to God’s will in all matters. As Peter once did, Christians at an entry level of commitment often rebel when God’s will does not align with their plans.
Many cultural Christians also fear being perceived as too fanatical in the practical application of their faith by family, friends, and neighbors. The fear of man – derision and rejection – often seems more immediate and consequential in their lives than the fear of God, and it exerts a greater effect on their thoughts, words, and actions than they realize. This fear can overwhelm and override any fear of God to the point where there may even be times they are ashamed of being Christians.
We see Peter at the second level of Christian commitment in Matthew 26:69-74. Matthew records a scene between Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin and his trial before Pilate. As Jesus had foretold, Peter has just denied knowing Christ three times, and Matthew reports that Peter cursed and swore, saying, “I do not know the Man!”
In the passage of time between his rebuke of Jesus and his insistent denials of knowing Him, Peter’s faith in Jesus had grown. Peter intended to wholeheartedly follow Jesus, but when it came down to a moment of crisis and persecution, Peter bailed out by lying. His spirit was willing, but his flesh was weak, and he gave in to the fear of man.
Many Christians today find themselves wanting, like Peter, to be totally committed to King Jesus, yet they hold back from putting God’s will foremost in certain domains of their lives. Are there areas in our lives where our commitment falters due to the fear of man? Maybe we are reluctant to pray before a meal in a restaurant because we’re afraid of what the other diners might think? Or perhaps we hesitate to “like” or “share” a friend’s Facebook post because doing so would identify us as a Christ follower? Whether it was with family or friends, at work, school, or on social media, I think we can all pinpoint a time when we denied Christ, even if we never uttered a word.
Finally, after the resurrection and the baptism in the Holy Spirit recorded in Acts 2, we see a totally different Peter. The Apostle has committed to put God’s will foremost in his life all of the time! Mature in Christ and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, Peter was bold to preach the risen Lord, even before the High Priest and the Sanhedrin. When they severely threatened to beat and punish him, he replied:
“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” ~ Acts 4:19-20
And in Acts 5, Peter firmly answered the authorities:
“We ought to obey God rather than men . . .” ~ Acts 5:29
Peter, the impudent and impetuous fisherman who had the audacity to brashly rebuke the Messiah, grew, by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, into a man who confidently stood up to religious and political rulers. Peter, the scared disciple who denied the Son of Man three times because his fear of man outweighed his fear of God, became a bold man of the Gospel who rejoiced that he was counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ!
Moving beyond a superficial attempt to put God’s will foremost in our lives requires intentionality and the power of the Holy Spirit. It is impossible for us to deny our selfish, human inclinations in our own “strength.” But our weakness is no reason to give up hope – we can certainly look to Peter for inspiration. The more time he spent with Jesus, the more he became conformed to the image of the Savior, desiring to put God’s will first at all times.
While Peter’s transformation is an excellent inspiration for us, Jesus is our perfect model and example. His life was marked by His reverence for His Father – definitely a unique fear of God! Jesus never worried what people thought of Him. Not even once did He compromise for personal gain or for the opinions of man. Christ endured the hard road of the cross to bear the wrath that we deserve for our sin, including our sinful, misplaced fear of man. The Lord’s singular goal was to bring honor to His Father and to do His will.
If we are to be conformed to the image and likeness of Christ, we would do well to follow His example: deny ourselves, disregard the opinions of man, and above all, set our minds on the things of our Heavenly Father. May this be our deepest desire as we strive to glorify God to the world around us.
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