The Mystery

I've often heard it said that as Christians what we need to do is "move over" and let God take control of the "steering wheel" of our lives. This same idea of us moving over and God taking over is conveyed through other familiar expressions such as "let go and let God" and "Jesus take the wheel" and statements like that. But are we really supposed to get out of the way so God can do all the driving? Are we really just along for the ride?

Statements like those sound wise but surprisingly this is not what Scripture teaches. In fact, the New Testament actually teaches the opposite. The Gospel is much greater than us moving over to the passenger seat.

The reason that "Gospel" means "good news" is because it is inclusive - God not only includes us in His divine plan, but we play a vital role - a central role with God. God is not seeking to replace us but to embrace us as new creations compatible with His nature. He no longer calls us servants, He calls us friends. He chooses to work through the uniqueness of our soul - according to our created purpose - rather than squashing us out or moving us to the side. He doesn't violate us, He inhabits us. This was His plan all along - the reunion of His Spirit with ours. Then, He teaches us how to drive.

When trying to explain this God-human reunion to the Colossian church, the apostle Paul referred to it as "the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:26-27). In his letter to the Corinthian church Paul said something similar: "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself?...The two became one flesh. Whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit" (1 Cor. 6:15-17).

This wonderful and amazing truth has profound implications. God now goes where we go. God now lives where we live. God now talks when we talk. God now walks when we walk. We are His "ambassadors" in every sense of the word. This is why the apostle John could say with confidence, "as He is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:17).

This is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to our faith. Do I really believe the gospel - that God so fully embraces every aspect of my being that He can work through my interests, hobbies, personality and sense of humor? Do I really see my entire self as being righteous, clean, and acceptable? Or do I only believe those things are some “spiritual” part of me that is far off and irrelevant, not really me? If the latter, then the gospel is no good to me in the practical moments of every day.

For the gospel to manifest powerfully in my life, I must believe that what Christ has done in making me new pertains to the real me who wakes up every day and lives a normal life. Then I’ve begun to understand my personal union with Jesus Christ. Jesus lived thirty-three years in authentic human flesh to show that His divinity is compatible with our humanity. And His divinity is entirely compatible with your humanity - regardless of how dirty the enemy makes you feel.

So, I would like to propose some new analogies for describing the Christian life...

I'm driving the car, in the driver's seat, and I'm sitting on God's lap while He whispers in my ear. God gave me the steering wheel and put His hands on top of mine. I feel His joy and pleasure when I make the right turns. I feel His nudging when I don't. But He never forces the wheel. He never tells me to move over. He loves being with me as I learn how to drive.

Like a father teaching his son how to swing a bat, God stands behind me smiling with His arms around me and His hands over mine, showing me how to make a level swing. He likes that I swing a little differently than His other kids - He thinks it's cute - but every bit as effective. He will never leave me nor forsake me. Why? Because I am "united with Him in spirit" and my body is the "Body of Christ."

But beware - like the Pharisees of Jesus' day, there are those who instead prefer the comfort of religious predictability - the old way of rules and separation from God over the new way of relationship and union with God. For some people the gospel is just too good to be true. They can't really bring themselves to accept the truth of being united with God. They feel too dirty. It feels like too much - it's just too much responsibility. They are worried about what people may think if they really start to walk this thing out with that kind of confidence, or rather that kind of "God-fidence". It sounds too much like blasphemy.

So watch out! Jesus was crucified for it.

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." - Jesus