AFFECTIONS:

AFFECTIONS:

“You are not limited by us, but you are limited by your own affections.” -2 Corinthians 6:12

How often do we truly find ourselves raptured up in the reality of reconciliation with God Almighty? Some of us are moved to tears by songs of praise during services, a movie like RISEN or The Passion of the Christ, but to what end? Is our affection for our Savior who took our place -or- is our affection for the experience of being roused to tears?

The test comes through abiding in obedience and yieldedness. Jesus said, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

We are quick to “obey” and “yield” where and when it suits us, our selfish agendas, and our private affections, but we know nothing of denying self, shouldering our cross, giving up entitlements, and relentlessly pursuing Christ. Rather than being/becoming new creations we look more like the lost people around us.

Is our affection for improvement, change, renewal, deliverance, wisdom, success, influence, or a whole host of other potentially noble (or ignoble) pursuits? Or is our affection for Christ our Savior?

When our affection is truly for Him then we realize, as Oswald Chambers notes, “There is no condition in life in which we cannot abide in Jesus.” We have little, if any, control on the circumstances of our lives, but what we can control are our affections. This is not secular self-help or self-improvement nonsense, but gospel truth because Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate (Παράκλητον) to help you and be with you forever--”

Our affections can never be roused beyond the lusting, rusting, rotting, decaying dust of this world. But when we are born anew of the Holy Spirit “who is the guarantee of our inheritance,” then the Advocate’s affections for God Almighty erupt within us and cannot be squelched.

Does the heart, mind, will, and love of Christ fill your dreams, your desires, your vocation, and every facet of your life? Or are you merely a hypocrite (literally ‘actor’) masquerading around as His while sitting atop the dung-heap-throne of your own heart buying time?

“You are not limited by us, but you are limited by your own affections.” -2 Corinthians 6:12

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com