Discussing what the Biblical metaphor of the temple reveals for our life as a church family.

Discussing what the Biblical metaphor of a body reveals for our life as a church family.

Discussing what the Biblical metaphor of gardening reveals for our everyday roles and relationships.

Raised with Christ is now your orientation for existence. For seeing and living in heaven on earth. We now have a different perspective by which we engage our daily routines and relationships. A perspective of Christ with us appearing in the most mundane of places, the little conversations with our kids and co-workers, Jesus in enjoying dinner and doing dishes. Jesus in the choices of how to respond to our subordinate at work who has messed up or our boss who won’t let off. Jesus in the offense of a friend in Gospel Community who spoke harshly. Jesus is all and in all. Raised with Christ, Christ-perspective[7].

We can assume growth, but not what that growth will produce. We will grow, but who are we meant to become? Paul’s answer is "into Christ:" fully human (adults) in relation to Christ and one another—what has come to be known as a Christian.

For as long as we human beings have recorded our thoughts on life we have sought to condense reality. To make things “simple”. Not so much out of ignorance but because our senses are overwhelmed by creation. The problem with condensing though is that it often comes via subtraction, amputation of the gargantuan excess that doesn’t fit in the simplified box.