I got ‘smote’.
It happened yesterday at church. In the pastor’s sermon. In the eating of the bread and the drinking of the wine (the body and blood). It happened as I lay in bed this morning examining my life. It happened as I returned to my baptism (I do it quite often out of necessity). It happens in ways great and small all throughout my life, my week, my day.
But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It can be, if you dwell on it. If you take the attitude that this whole thing depends on you. If you think that there is something inside of you that needs to be brought forth that in some way will enhance your goodness quotient. If you think that you can do better so that you won’t need God’s Word of law to smite you…then it can be a bad thing. ‘It’ is not actually the bad thing, but more aptly put…you are.
Not only isn’t it necessarily a bad thing… it is a good thing. God’s wants to smite you. He has sent forth His law to make sure this happens to you.
Having been smitten, smote, smacked, whacked, bludgeoned, killed…isn’t the end of the story for the Christian. There is another side of baptism, you know. The side where God lifts you out of the water and breathes new life into you. The side where the wound that the blade has cut is cauterized and you are made whole again. The joyful, redemptive side. The new and everlasting life in Christ, side. “O death, where is thy sting?”
So don’t be afraid to get smited, smote, whacked, killed. “For if you would lose your life in this world, you would gain it.”
Thanks be to God for His law and His gospel. Thanks be to God for His death and His resurrection.
Thanks be to God that He does all this for us in our baptisms, in His supper, and in the hearing of His Word.
Got ‘smote’?
Filed under: Law and Gospel |
The Old Adam Lives! 
Praise God……..right on my friend!
Thanks Wayne!
Keep on keepin’ on!
Steve,
The fact that you were “smote” shows only one of two things. Either it show how unsatisfactorily you are living the victorious life God created you for, Or how stellar a job your pastor did in preaching the law. Of course you shouldn’t have to preach the law to hard to smite one like you. 🙂
Look whose talking. I smote myself with the law this last week. Almost had a breakdown, and quit preaching. Then I remembered I hadn’t got to the gospel yet. I can stew in the law if I want, but I can’t force my paishoners to join me in that Spiritual masochism.
Bror,
I got the idea for this post from you. You used that word (smite) recently and I thought is had a nice ring to it…as well as a nice sharp edge.
You’re right, it doesn’t take much law preaching to smite a guy like me. If one presents law the way it ought to be presented…it doesn’t take much. A perceptive preacher can just point out all the ways in which we are being had in this life (aside from our performance). Put the two together and there shouldn’t be anything left but a pile of dust.
You gotta be careful of that law stuff, Bror…it can be pretty debilitating. Try putting in some ear plugs when you are preaching the law and then pull them out nonchalantly (pretent to scratch your ear or something) right before you get to the gospel part of the sermon.
Thanks Pal!
– Steve
Stevo
It doesnt matter whether Im smited, smoted, Jesus took care of it for me………..So I think I will lie in bed this morning and do nothing.
Thank goodness for God’s lovingkindness. Even His punishments and “smites” are meant for our salvation. That is some true love. Keep rockin the grace, Steve.
John T.,
Enjoy! Believe it or not…that death was meant for murders and rapists too. So just being lazy isn’t really much of a sin to speak of anyway.
– Steve
W.E.M.,
I hope you don’t mind if I address you in that way(?).
A truer love the world will never know.
You too, W.E. !
Thanks!
– Steve
The law is one of the greatest gifts. By its smiting us we see our need for Jesus. As always great post!
W. E. M.’s just fine. Wes or Wesley is too! Messamore and Messy are also fair game. Just whatever comes out, lol.
Sometimes during my church’s liturgy, Christ is referred to as “The True Philanthropist.” I guess that is the fullest meaning of the word and had never heard it before in a theological context, always a social one referring to someone who gives away money. Christ is the true Philanthropos, the Lover of Man who gives his own body and blood.
Steve, what a great post! I have opportunity to attend daily chapel in my new location; getting there early allows necessary time to reflect and get ‘smote.’ What a relief to repent of specific sins and a short time after receive the pastor’s forgiveness from God Himself.
W.E.M.,
I like Christ being refered to as “The Great Philanthropist”. He does give away everything. And to us who deserve none of it.
What a great God we have!
Thanks W.E.M.!
– steve
Hannah,
Thanks Hannah!
I hope all is well for you in your new locale.
Reflecting on our life is a pretty great way to “get smote” (smited?)
He is a wonderful God, that’s about the only thing I know for sure these days.
Thanks a lot Hannah!
– Steve