Columbanus (25)

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3.18

Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit – these are the hallmarks of the Kingdom of God (Rom. 14.17). And they are hallmarks of the Kingdom for the simple reason that these reflect the very Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is our King. As we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3.18), we should expect to become more like Him. But if we look to other models and exemplars – heroes, friends, well-known or powerful people in culture and society – to shape our lifestyle, we’ll have difficulty increasing in Jesus. We’ll always be painting over His pure and beautiful image with cheap substitutes.

Columbanus advised against this: “Let us not be the painters of another’s image; for he is the painter of a despot’s image, who is fierce, wrathful, proud…For righteousness and unrighteousness, peace and disagreement are opposed to one another. Then lest perhaps we should import into ourselves despotic images, let Christ paint His image in us, as He does by saying, My peace I give you, My peace I leave to you. But what advantage is it for us to know that peace is good if it is not well preserved?” (Sermon XI)

As we pursue righteousness in the fear of the Lord, rest in the peace of Jesus that passes all understanding, and rejoice in the victory that is ours in Christ, He “paints” His own image on the canvas of our lives, and we show Jesus to the watching world.

All our preaching and teaching, as well as all our reading and study, should aim at forming Jesus in ourselves and those we serve. Only in Jesus will people realize the holiness to which they’re called and enjoy the peace and joy which God has stored up for us in His Son.

Resources for Shepherds
We need revival. Revival brings changed hearts and lives as people are renewed in their vision of Christ and His Kingdom and devoted afresh to knowing, loving, and serving Him. Revival frequently spills out into awakening, in which multitudes come to know Jesus and are ingrafted to His Church and conveyed into His Kingdom. We need revival. But how? Three books can help you in understanding, seeking, and encouraging others for revival. Restore Us!, Revived!, and Preparing Your Church for Revival are free and available by clicking here. Order copies for yourself and your church leaders, and join the growing ranks of those who are seeking revival day by day.

If you have not been following our ReVision series, “Let God Be True”, let me encourage you to do so. In our day, lies are rampant and truth is rare. How must we as believers respond? Only by knowing the truth that is in Jesus and setting Him forth against the lies of this age. To download the installments in “Let God Be True” available to this date, click here. To continue in the series, use the Subscription button to update your subscriptions and include ReVision.

From the Celtic Revival
Our present Crosfigell series (Tuesdays and Thursdays) is considering a remarkable Christian worldview statement by an anonymous 7^th-century Celtic scholar. Here’s an excerpt from a recent installment:

And when they [the angels] are sent, God, by whom they are refreshed, is never far from their contemplation; not that those spirits who are sent can be everywhere equally, but that God Who is everywhere is always seen in one place without any movement of His by those who hurry in any directions, therefore it is written: a thousand thousands ministered to Him and ten thousand times a hundred thousands assisted Him. For the powers on high do both equally because they minister while they are being sent and assist while they are in contemplation.

  - The Book of the Order of Creation II.15, 16[1]

Angels draw their motivation and power for service from contemplating the face of God. The same is true for us, as Paul understood (2 Cor. 4.6). The more clearly we see Jesus, exalted in glory (Col. 3.1, 2), and the more constant we are in setting Him before us (Ps. 16.8), the more we will refract His image to the world.

Subscribe to Crosfigell today (click here to update your subscriptions, be sure you click each one you want, including Pastor to Pastor) and follow us through our study of this remarkable document.

Check out our Celtic Legacy podcast and the other resources available on our dedicated Celtic Revival home page.

You can also download a free copy in PDF of our book, The Celtic Revival: A Brief Introduction, by clicking here.

T. M. Moore.

Please pray that God will move many of those we serve through this ministry to share with us financially in its support. If the Lord moves you to give, you can use the Contribute button at the website to give with a credit card or through PayPal or Anedot, or you can send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 103 Reynolds Lane, West Grove, PA 19390.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[1] Davies, p. 4