The Living Word, 16 February 2020

A couple of weeks ago Pak Alan asked me to throw together a quick biography for the updated parish website. 

Ordained a Deacon in 2009, and Presbyter in 2010. I’ve served on the General Synod and Doctrine Tribunals of the Anglican Church of Aotearoa and Polynesia. Invited to two Global Anglican Future Conferences. Served as Deputy Chair of a School Board and Trust Board member of the New Zealand Church Missionary Society for almost ten years. New Zealand’s youngest ever Chaplain to the Forces. 

It’s easy to look like a good Christian on paper. 

In Philippians 3 Paul demolishes the arguments of those who would boast in their “goodness” before God based on their achievements. The ones who looked back to their traditions and heritage as an assurance of their being made right with God got a rude awakening. He was calling the Christians at Philippi to think twice about their assurance (as we know they were proud of their status at Roman Citizens), but he calls them to fix their eyes on their heavenly citizenship instead. The accolades and trophies of this life are temporary and not worth any more than dung compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus as our Lord. 

When pride starts to creep in, when we feel like we’ve made it, like we’re somehow good enough or deserving of salvation come back to these words of the Apostle Paul, who reminds us where to fix our gaze; on the free and unmerited grace of God not having a righteousness of our own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith.  

With this constant checking of our hearts and minds we will be able to live as Christ, preaching in unity. 

 In Christ,

Zane Elliott