Living ABOVE Reproach

Recently I have been wrestling with this idea of living above reproach. My reason being that the name Christian is always associated with Jesus Christ and therefore the image we give off to the world and even to fellow Christians (the weaker brother) is going to be the image of Christ we give off. Do we bring Him glory and honor or shame and hypocrisy? Paul speaks of this in a few of his epistles, one being Colossians in which we read in 1:22, "yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach--". In the Greek the word above reproach is defined as "that cannot be called into to account, unreproveable, unaccused, blameless". Going along with this whole idea is the command we read in 1 Peter, "Be holy for I am holy". How is this possible I ask myself often. How can I, a sinner who has been redeemed by a Savior yet still lives in a fleshly body, who constantly wages war within her members be living in a manner that could be called "worthy" to a Holy God. Paul seemed to struggle with this same idea. In Romans he talks about the inward struggle he himself faced even while writing the book of Romans. That his desire was to do things that pleased the Lord, yet the very things that he so often did were the exact opposite.

As Christians we have no excuse for a life filled with sin and transgression. We are being renewed (Colossians 3)and we now have the power through Christ's victory (Romans) to overcome sin's reign on us! Yet this idea seems so off par with our modern idealization of what Christianity is. We have this notion that all we should be doing as good as we can...but Christ deserves a life of excellence! We are to be striving with our whole hearts and with all our strength to please Him in EVERY area of our life in EVERYTHING we do and in EVERYTHING we say. The result of this will not only be sanctification and a deeper more meaningful relationship with God but it will be evidenced in our daily lives...we will stand out!

As I continue to question this whole idea of being above reproach...not questioning whether it is right or wrong but how I can tangibly live a life that reflects this I am reminded of Isaiah 53 and Christ's work on the cross. What He did for me cannot be taken lightly but rather should be valued, cherished and treasured with my whole heart and life. My motivation to please Him should come not only from the power of the indwelling Spirit but through the gratitude for the love and mercy I have received in Him who saves!

Isaiah 53:3-12
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

8 By oppression [a] and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken. [b]

9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes [c] his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

11 After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life [d] and be satisfied [e] ;
by his knowledge [f] my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, [g]
and he will divide the spoils with the strong, [h]
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

What a God we serve! May we be living above reproach through His strength that those around us would not be able to ascribe anything but glory to the name of Christ!!