Here's how to leave a legacy of truth and love.
“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
– Matthew 5.19
Living his name, living his soul, from the crowds he prepared under the holy Law.
– Dallán Forgaill, Amra Choluimb Chille, Irish, 6th century[1]
Toward the end of the 6th century, Colum Cille (Choluimb Chille) founded the monastic community on the island of Iona off the northwest coast of Scotland. He had forsaken a royal inheritance to become a monk, and he prepared for his calling under the tutelage of the great Finnian of Clonard.
Through a variety of circumstances, not all of which are clear, Colum ended up becoming the first of the great Irish peregrini – wandering missionary/monks and scholars who evangelized Scotland and much of Europe during the 6th and 7th centuries.
Colum was renowned for many things, both in his day and after. Not the least of these was his mastery of divine Law, and his ability to exemplify and teach it so that others willingly took up the Law of God as their path in life. Even after his death, Colum’s example of righteousness and zeal for the Gospel lived on in the “crowds he prepared” for Kingdom living.
Greatness in the Kingdom of God is measured by just such things, as Jesus explained. Keeping the Law of God is not the way to salvation. But salvation is the way to keep the Law and do those good works of love for which we have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2.8-10; Rom. 3.31, 7.12).
Living the Law of God brings us increasingly into the full and abundant life which Jesus gives (Jn. 10.10; Lev. 18.1-5), and makes one a loving servant to the people around him. Since love is the hallmark of discipleship (Jn. 13.35), and since the Law encodes the standards of love for God and neighbors, it only makes sense that the Law of God should have a prominent place in every Christian’s life.
By living and teaching the law we may expect to have a solid and lasting impact for the Kingdom of Christ. Colum left as a legacy scores of men grounded in Scripture, trained in the application of the Law, zealous for the Gospel, skilled in preaching, and bold to take the Good News to the ends of the earth.
In Colum there was no separation of grace and Law, Gospel and the pursuit of righteousness, intense study and fervent mission. He was the whole package. He was truly great in the Kingdom of Christ in his day and beyond.
What about us? Is being great in the Kingdom even something we think about or hope to attain?
We are distracted and busy in so many things that we hardly have time to think about how Kingdom greatness might be achieved. Certainly, if Jesus is to be believed, greatness in the Kingdom will not be ours apart from reading, study, and meditation in the Law of God, then living and teaching it to others.
God has called us into His Kingdom and glory through faith in Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 2.12). Everyone wants to have some distinction by which to be identified and remembered. Given the opportunity to pursue greatness in the Kingdom of God, why would we settle for anything less?
Many, like Colum, have attained Kingdom greatness; there’s no reason why we should not strive for this as well.
Will you seek to be great in the Kingdom of God today?
Psalm 40.9, 10 (Dix: “For the Beauty of the Earth”)
Lord, Your truth will I proclaim to Your people gathered ‘round,
Nor will I my lips restrain – let Your precious ways resound!
Of Your saving grace and Word I would speak, most loving Lord.
Lord Jesus, help me to seek Your Kingdom, help me go forth today, like a victorious horse crossing a level plain, like a chariot, carrying You to the world. Adapted from Oengus mac Oengobann, Féilire Oengusso
The Law of Liberty
This week’s ReVision series is on the Law of God, and shows how the Law serves to liberate us in the Spirit from the constraints of sin to full and abundant life in Jesus Christ. You can download all this week’s studies in a PDF format suitable for personal or group study. Simply click here.
This week, in our In the Gates column, we finish up our study of the Law of God. Next week we begin a new series on “The Rule of God’s Law.” Everyone is ruled by some law; only one Law can fit us for loving God and our neighbors and knowing full and abundant life in Christ. If you have not been reading In the Gates, I encourage you to visit the website for each day’s installment in this important subject.
Thanks to those of you whom God has moved and enabled to support our work with your gifts. It’s easy to give to The Fellowship of Ailbe, and all gifts are, of course, tax-deductible. You can click here to donate online through credit card or PayPal, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Dr., Essex Junction, VT 05452.
T. M. Moore, Principal
tmmoore@ailbe.org
All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
