real life

As believers in Jesus we begin to experience real life. Jesus said he is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). But all too easily we can seem bereft of or weak in this life. We seem too often to lapse into the pseudo life of the world.

I like Eugene Peterson's reference to "the replacement Trinity" and "the new Holy Trinity".

Here's how it works. It is important to observe that in the formulation of the new Trinity that defines the self as the sovereign text for living, the Bible is neither ignored nor banned; it holds, in fact, an honored place. But the three-personal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is replaced by a very individualized personal Trinity of my Holy Wants, my Holy Needs, and my Holy Feelings.

The real life in Jesus is snuffed out by this false complement, and really altogether false life and substitute. It's no longer about our unity and community in the Triune God, but instead, it's all about us and whether we're happy and doing well. And this popular false trinity has surely impacted and been a part of each of us, more or less at certain times in our lives.

Real life in Jesus means leaving behind the old and embracing the new. This is ongoing, but should in Jesus, become more and more a part of what we do, forming who we are. And who we are, forming what we do.

And Peterson points out that this new, real life in the Word: Jesus, is formed in us as we go to the text the Spirit has given us, Scripture itself, the word of God. Only thus can we be saved from the onslaught of this popular replacement that can be as much home among and in us as believers in Jesus as it is in the world.