"Relationships" by Dean of Students, RSwift
One themes of the Bible is Relationships:
- God Created man;
- God made a covenant with man;
- Christ prayed for mankind in the garden--for unity.
Our Handbook lists 5 goals of spiritual formation:
- Relationship with God: Students should demonstrate a growing intimacy in their relationship with God, as evidenced in the worship, prayerfulness and faith.
- Biblical Self-Image: Students should demonstrate a biblical understanding of themselves
rooted in Christ, as evidenced in these areas of confidence, self-discipline and stability. - Relationship with the Body of Christ – Students should demonstrate a growing relationship
with the body of Christ as evidenced in the areas of community, unity and submission. - Personal Relationships – Students should demonstrate a growing maturity in personal
relationships, as evidenced in purity, faithfulness and servanthood. - Relationship with the World – Students should demonstrate a desire to serve God
fully as they engage the world, as evidenced in the areas of eternal perspective, conviction and perseverance.
The Spirit works in the context of community of believers. Relationships are for our growth. Are we true to relationships? We tend to over-inflate ourselves and make ourselves somebody we are not. Who are you to others? Our inclination is to think of self first. If you are not real, you will wear yourself out.
Read James 4:1-3
Eph. 1-3 Vivid pictures of relationships. We are:
1:5 Adopted children;
2:19 Members and civilians;
3:14-19 A family
Our responsibility: Read Ephesians 4 and 5, because it cannot be said any simpler.
What does this say to you and your situation when you just "hang out" with friends?
What does this say to you and your situation when you post a blog or go on MySpace?
What does this say to you and your situation when you date?
There is nothing vague here. I will not tell you anything you have not read in these verses.
These go on to address both wives and husbands. Make holy your wife.
This can apply to the engaged--present the other person to God holy and without blame.
Main application: Purity is required in relationships. This is an absolute standard and we need to surround ourselves with people who won't show you the world--this is no basis for relationships--but with people who will help you imitate Christ.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!
