All of scripture testifies of who Christ is. The story of Potiphar, his wife, and Joseph is an intriguing story full of wise advice about how to live in Christ and a warning to us what happens when the flesh is not given over to Christ.
Potiphar and his wife are such an intriguing story … Potiphar entrusted everything he had to Joseph. He did not concern himself with anything other than eating. Potiphar is a picture of us. We recognize that the Father is with Christ and we are not to concern (think upon, make effort, work at, worry) about anything, but rather only concern ourselves with eating of Christ. Its all that we should be concerned about spiritually.
Despite how phenomenal this picture is that is not the end of the story. Potiphar was one with someone not of the same mindset. His own wife. She attempted to lure Joseph into adultery many times, but never succeeded, then falsely accused him of making sport of her. Potiphar’s reaction was to cast Joseph out of his household. Potiphar did not prosper after that but actually came to ruin. His position was later diminished by someone else, Joseph.
What has this to do with Christ? Potiphar had not put to death the flesh, his wife. The flesh sought out to use Christ for its own purposes. When Christ refused it falsely accuses Christ of someone breaking trust. What happens when our flesh is still alive seeking to use the things of Christ towards our own ends (even good ends like heal all people, save all my loved ones, emotional healing, etc)? We sadly come to a point where we are disillusioned with Christ because He didn’t obey what we demanded of Him and we cast Christ out and replace Him with our own efforts.
A strong warning to us … we cannot bend Christ to our purposes, plans, and desires. We cannot use Christ to fulfill the wants of our flesh. Even the good things of our flesh. Rather we must submit all of ourselves to Christ allowing Him to kill the flesh and run our spiritual household as He pleases. Otherwise we lose Christ who we have so ardently pursued and received. Everything good, bad, spiritual is in Christ’s hands. All is in Christ’s good care. Concern yourself with no one and nothing else. Consume of Christ and do not use Him for your purposes no matter how “good and spiritual” they may be.
Great post here! This goes along with something I have been learning and pondering about as well…how a person who has the indwelling of Christ, but who gives in to the flesh time and time and how that person in doing so can behave or live as an enemy, not to Christ Himself, but as an enemy of the cross and His Eternal Purpose. Thanks for sharing this! I can tell that this understanding of yours comes from experience in knowing our Lord, and not just a theory.
I can see what you reveal comes from experience and not theory, too. What a great revelation, Sandor! Lord help us never to stand in the way of the cross and Your eternal purpose! Amen.
Great post….not to use Christ for our selfish ends…in fact not to use Him at all but to be entirely consumed by Him
Precisely! You said it better than I did.