Getting Job-ed
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16 CSB
How we live with our time here are earth really matters. I think this goes as a warning to Christians and non-Christians. We are 100% saved by grace through faith, as stated in Ephesians 2:1-9. However, that true conversion should create a real change within us for how we live and what we desire (James 2, our ‘works’ are an outward expression of an inward change that happened).
Two Different Beatitudes
Both Matthew and Luke record separate accounts of a stretch of teaching called the beatitudes. They provide hope for the weary to keep pushing on in the faith. Here’s Matthew’s account of the beatitudes:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the humble,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
“You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:3-12 CSB
These would have been extremely helpful to first-century Christians and are also extremely helpful to us in this insane world we live in today. It was a way of shifting our earthly mindset of what ‘success’ looks like to what God’s Kingdom sees as successful. However, Luke’s Gospel records a different set of beatitudes that show what living our ‘best life now’ on earth really looks like:
But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your comfort.
Woe to you who are now full,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who are now laughing,
for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when all people speak well of you,
for this is the way their ancestors
used to treat the false prophets.
Woof, harsh words Jesus. You mean our narcissistic Instagram, Facebook or Twitter accounts really matter in eternity? Absolutely.
How We Live
How we live here on earth really matters. It speaks to what is happening internally whether reflecting our faith or our disbelief. We are saved by grace through faith internally, the proof of that is the fruit we bear. It does not start by doing works and then that’ll give me faith- that’s backward. The Bible says, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves…” in 2 Corinthians 13:5 CSB. Do you love Jesus or do you love and cling to ‘your best life now.’
-Austin
