Have you ever noticed, especially when reading apologetics or in anything requiring critical analysis, an extraordinary occurrence that pops up quite frequently. They're employed in some of the most startling quotes from my favorite authors. Since my wife gifted me with the complete works of Oswald Chambers; I've been making a habit of highlighting them and will refer to them as "flip-flops.
For a clearer understanding of what I refer to as Flip-flops, saving me the task of trying to explain them, here are some examples from Oswald Chambers works which I referenced above.
"God does not further our spiritual life in spite of our circumstances, but in and by our circumstances."
"God does not give us the overcoming life: He gives life to the man who overcomes."
"The idea is not that we get the victory, but that the Victor has got us."
"Faith never knows where it is being led, it knows and loves the One Who is leading."
"God never fits His word to suit me; He fits me to suit His word."
These examples should quickly explain my perceptions of what flip-flops are and do. Quick surgical cuts contrasting common misconceptions with a very often uncomfortable alternative. They very often verify the distinctions between a persons role and God's. How often have you heard someone wishing they could just find the right person to marry or find that perfect job that suit his wants or needs. It could quite possibly be that God desires that you work on making yourself the right person for marriage or actually making yourself the right person an employer would desire to hire. I very much doubt the drive for self-realization will ever dethrone God's will for His realization. I have doubts that God will ever reverse roles with us in our God centered relationship. Peter, states in his second epistle about being partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Following that he says "And beside this, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they shall make you that ye shall not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the world today of our adopted entitlement mentality, prevalent in the church, we naturally assume that it's God's job to add these things. I recently read a five step plan for salvation. Noticeably absent in all these steps, starting with what I would regard as the most important, was that awful repentance word, not withstanding obedience, which is the most vital aspect of a relationship with God, which may lead to another uncomfortable confrontation with discipline. One more thought; if it pleased God to bruise His only begotten Son for our salvation, why would it not be possible that He bruise us. Or is their ever to be a sacrifice on our part?
Flip-flop!
