Opus

An opus is a complete work. It's most often associated with music. A symphony may be referred to as "Symphony in B-flat major, opus 32". That symphony, though, is part of a larger body of work. The same is true of a painting, a boat, a book, a guitar or any number of things. What may not be so obvious, though, is that many people judge an artist or craftsman based on a single piece of work. Sad but true.

Have you ever heard anyone say something like,"I dont like Kandinsky. I saw one of his pieces and it didnt do anything for me." Without seeing a broader representation of that artist's work we cant adequately judge.

People do the same with God. "I've known some Christians and, honestly, I dont want anything to do with their God." They look at us in our weakness, missing the larger body of God's work.

In his epistles, Paul consistently pushes the focus away from himself and onto Jesus. Although he was accomplishing great things, and miracles were done through him, his response was always to turn the attention onto Christ. This wasnt a self-serving response, so that people would think, "See how humble Paul is." It was an honest understanding that the life he lived was of faith and whatever was accomplished in it was Christ working in him.

I know that I've been a stumbling block to many because of my own egotism. There have been many times that I've lived a good Christian life without leaning on Christ. I've walked in my own power and made it appear that I was walking in the Spirit. This is not liberty. It's bondage to my pride. As I continue on that road, I will attempt things because I thinkn I'm such a strong believer that God just has to bless me. It's ego. It's the old man and he is dead.

Imagine for a moment that you stepped into a room and found your own corpse lying on the floor. Somehow you had died and were unaware of it. Now you're free from the hindrances of that flesh and bone. That body cant do anything any longer. So you go out and experiment with this new freedom, doing things that you only dreamt of before. After a while, though, you begin to miss some of the old things. You go back to that room where your body is and you pick it up. Using a special kind of rope, you are able to strap yourself to it, piggy back, so you can carry it with you, and you begin to go about the old ways. How ridiculous is that?

This is a kind of picture of what Paul has been talking about. We are dead, yet spiritually alive and free in Christ. Look at all the things God has done for us. See what He's doing with others around us. He's blessing this person. Look what he's done in that person's life. Why would we want to strap on that old man and go back?

What happens, too, is that unbelievers see us walking around with that old corpse on. They see us miserable and powerless and they think, "Why would I want to be like that? If that's all their God can do, I think I'll pass." They cant look past us and see all the wonderful things he's doing with others. They'll focus on us and our misery.

What must happen to remedy this is that mature, strong believers begin to teach the weaker how to walk in Christ. The older must teach the younger what it means to really trust Him for everything.