Solving problems or experiencing Christ?

[Vine Abider]

Boy, am I ever a problem solver . . .  that is what I am bent on doing!  But this effort, as explained in The Supplied Life devotional today, can rob me of the experience of Christ!  Since He lives in us, we should take every problem to Him and give it to Him, that we might experience the life of Christ living in and through us in that matter.  We can just tell Him, "Lord, here's this issue in my life. I can go after solving it just in my own energies or I can give it to You.  So Lord, I give it to You!  Work through me in this matter - I want to experience You as my indwelling life and source!"

And I think the author is correct - Paul and the other NT writers were not so much trying to help us solve problems, as they were really about directing us to experience Christ.  Our local group is going through First Corinthians now, and yes there are many issues there that Paul brings up.  But what we are seeing is that in all of these, Paul directs the saints to Christ - they need to experience the awesome power of the One Who is living in them!!!

Solving problems or experiencing Christ?

"For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21

To understand the spiritual nature of the New Testament, we need to ask a question: Did Paul solve problems or did he lead people into experiencing Christ? Where in the New Testament letters did Paul solve problems? What problem did he solve as an end in itself? What issue did Paul get involved in to solve? Have you ever considered this question? We all should go back to reread the New Testament and ask, What problems did Peter, John, Paul, and the other apostles solve? Did they solve people's problems or lead people to experience Christ? Of course, we know there were many problems among the Corinthians, but when we investigate how Paul solved the problems, we discover that he did one thing--he led them to experience Christ.

In our natural life we are prone to solve problems. We are looking for answers. We are seeking solutions. We want things to be cleared up and go away. We want to "right" what is "wrong." We are hoping for our environments to change for the better. We live in our imagined expectations. We want situations to be such that our soul would be at ease and find relief. Our souls are enmeshed in solving problems in many things in our daily life. In our natural life we are in the realm of solving problems. But with the supply of the Spirit in our spirit, we are in the realm of thinking the one thing--to experience Christ.

Paul's burden with the Philippians was not merely to solve their problem of disharmony, but to lead them to be supplied to think the one thing, Christ. To think the one thing is our greatest need. The way we can tell we are a supplied person is that we relate to matters and environments not by merely solving problems, but by experiencing a deeper, richer Christ.

[timf]

I worked on a Crisis hotline for a number of years and talk to a number of people about solving problems.When successful, people reach a point of boredom often doing things in boredom that leads back to more problems. This defines the self-focused life (the flesh Gal 5). To enter the selfless life (2Cor 5:15) of love (1Cor 13:4-7) and Christ-likeness (Eph 4:13) requires not only saving faith but the surrender to be found in walking by the Spirit.

I would replace "experiencing Christ" with copying the selflessness of Christ.

2Co 5:15  And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

[missmuffet]

I give all my problems to Jesus Christ.

[Vine Abider]

5 hours ago, timf said:

I would replace "experiencing Christ" with copying the selflessness of Christ.

How do you copy the selflessness of Christ?

[timf]

How do you copy the selflessness of Christ?

Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Gal_4:19  My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

[Vine Abider]

17 hours ago, timf said:

How do you copy the selflessness of Christ?

Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Gal_4:19  My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

I think the last verse you presented (Gal 5:16) is the key to how this happens practically - "walk in spirit* and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh"  This is such a very key verse to practicing the new covenant way of spirit!  A sister verse I really have been enjoying lately is Romans 8:13: "If by spirit* you put to death the practices of the body, you will live."  This verse clearly shows that we can't do this - that is, we can't copy Christ from our own efforts.  But if our source is our spirit, which is joined to and one with the Lord Spirit in us, then His life and power in us will animate us and transform us into His image!

* no definite article of "the" before "spirit" in either of these verses, as it is contrasting our reborn human spirit with our flesh

[timf]

put to death the practices of the body

I always thought that this was "death by starvation"

[Vine Abider]

4 hours ago, timf said:

put to death the practices of the body

I always thought that this was "death by starvation"

You mean starving your flesh?

[AnOrangeCat]

On 4/13/2025 at 9:59 AM, Vine Abider said:

Solving problems or experiencing Christ?

My feeling is that these two typically aren't mutually exclusive. There's a definite priority, though. If you look at James there's the oft-cited statement that faith without works is dead. Less often quoted is the accompanying text: "If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?"

My read of that is you deal with the problem in love and through that you point the target to Christ.

[timf]

You mean starving your flesh?

For example, if you have a problem with alcohol, stop going to bars and don't keep booze in your house.