In the Old Testament days, one day a year the high priest who was a person chosen from the tribe of Levi was allowed to go into the temple, the holy of holies and petition God. The average ordinary person was not permitted to approach God personally.
With the advent of Jesus, through the son of God, and because of his perfect sacrifice, no longer were mere mortals subjugated to the lineage of the priesthood-except now Jesus was the high priest. Consequently, believers could one on one, approach God because Jesus stood in the gap.
When Jesus walked on the face of the earth, his presence permitted the face-to-face approach of man to God. Jesus acted as the intermediary of man to God. Aside from Jesus who is here today in spirit, we come to know that his spirit is expressed through his church. The approachability of both the saved and unsaved is logically connected through the brethren. If then, the inner spirit man of the Christian fails to illuminate its true nature of Christ how then is the believer or unbeliever to profit?
In the absence of Jesus in the flesh on this earth in the here and now, how else is the world to know the true evidence of God. Clearly, Christians are here as ambassadors of God and are to reveal their spirit in like manner as Christ himself. This being’s birth we should be approachable. Approachability should be exhibited in frailty as well as in strength. It is through these interactions of approachability that our true testament is revealed. Hence, if were not approachable, there is no reality to our testament. Part of this reality, is indicative through our testament. If we are who we say we are then the honesty of our spirit speaks for itself. It does not mean we are perfect. It does not mean that we are holy. It does mean, our attempts are to be so to include our brother on equal terms. It involves not only sacrifice, but inclusion. Involve separation of behavior, but inclusion of spirit. The inclusion of spirit is the acceptance of all people good and bad. This acceptance involves all aspects of Christian love. Here we are speaking of the totality of the fruit of the spirit.
Modern psychology prides itself in reference to people that states the obligation, the fulfillment of a person is full self-actualization. An actualized Christian is a mature Christian: one who is a giver rather than a receiver. I approachability means giving of self in that the other person can acquire our attention, our love, our patience, and a listening ear.
God loves us so much he not only permitted his son to be crucified but to accept us into his kingdom. Insomuch we are accepted into the kingdom, we should also accept others to be with us here on earth. Our actions should speak for itself: do we listen as we want God to listen to us? Do we forgive as we want God to forgive us? Do we expand our personalities to empathize with others? In short, are others able to come to us with their problems, their needs?
Upon confessing of sins, the Christian then proceeds with a clean slate from God. How much more so then does our brother possess a clean background among us? Was not Peter a denier? Was not Paul a murderer? Was not even Moses also a murderer but accepted as one of Christ’s very own? So then, as hard as it might be: we are to accept murderers, rapist, drug dealers, terrorists, liars, thieves among many others. Naturally, we come to Christ in filthy rags, guilty of it all-but we should also expect change. We should not continue to be who we are at the moment, much less who we were. We are expected to become a new creature in Christ which brings us down to discipleship. A disciple then becomes a follower of Christ and a leader of men. Our leadership is expressed best by service to others.
Are we willing to live or die for our neighbors? This is the expression in living or dying for Christ. Most people are probably willing to die for others, but perhaps the hardest part is to live for others. Carrying the cross is an active present-tense vocation. It is a true sense of the location for indeed it is of the living and the true statement of our testament.
Hard Times Ministries 