To be most assured of clarity in a discussion, one would like to start at the beginning (wherever that may be) and work through steps in the larger context of the topic to this particular occasion. That luxury might take too much time for some of us, as it would bog down in the detours that would press in along the way. To get from there to here is not a straight line for human beings. So we jump into the pool of thought, belief and conduct wherever we can, hoping that good-will prevails so to help us in reaching agreement, even if it is agreement for disagreement. For example, humanists arguing from presuppositions of nature only as context for their points of view must inevitably disagree with the Christian arguing from presuppositions of faith and history that includes God’s revelation. Human logic depends on nature and human senses.
Among the students of art (painting for our purpose here), there is a careful differentiation between the art on canvas and the frame that holds it. The perception is vital, and contributes well to understanding of what is happening to us. On several occasions I visited studios and public venues where art was for sale, some with very expensive art pieces and some affordable for a person of my financial status. I discovered that some of the art was considered so valuable that it was not for sale. I found costly pieces I would not want to hang on the walls of my home. Often there was art that I liked, and, on occasion, purchased. Interested in a classical copy I was shocked to discover the frame for the piece would cost more than the art. It was clear that in some instances the profit to the exhibitor was in the sale of the frame not the sale of the art. Everyone agreed that the art was the important thing, but that value was not reflected in the price. I discovered why so many art museums are so plain, almost antiseptic in television coverage or from other news cameras. The point for the director is to make sure that nothing in the context of its showing distracts from the art. The purist is concerned that the context, including the frame should not distract, and especially should not misinform the viewer about the meaning of the art piece. The right frame enhances the meaning of the artist, so becomes important for good when skillfully homogenized to the piece of art.
The frame is also important even if it does not fit in with the art. It skews meaning, it distracts, even distorts the message when it does not enhance the first purpose – the meaning of the art and the artist. In this we have a large story of life, in its context. For the Christian the portrait of life is found in Christ, and all the factors that make up the context of that portrait. The Christian becomes the frame, or ought to, that presents that portrait. For thirty three years Jesus Christ lived a normal life among the people. For a thousand days he taught his message, and human meaning looking toward hope – an award from God. For those days he took the status of a frame of the Father. He, and his apostles after him, had much to say about glory. We do well to investigate glory, the frame of the invisible God. The study is glorious, presenting a different insight about the meaning of humanity than one might gain from any other context.
Frame, like so many words, has a negative meaning, but that helps us even here. As a person may frame (verb) another by creating a tragic experience, perhaps sordid, so we may frame the object and context of our faith in hypocrisy, ignorance, or ill will. We are meant to frame (model) Christ in glory. Glory is little understood, but appears to be an important context for believers. Scripture notes that it becomes us. To make it meaningful to us it is identified as righteousness, and is genuine when emanating from the holiness of God. We are sometimes given pause when we meet persons who have risen above, well above the performances of those around them. There is something beautiful about such events. Those who have experienced them would like to experience them again. We sense that mysterious draw that is satisfying, as if we were in presence (admiration). Awareness becomes more intense in a human/spiritual context. There are some persons who have so completely met the potential and meaning of their lives that we are self-arrested in their presence. It may become so intense we could not bear it had not Christ taken on our human context so that we could be included so to worship God – observed in our human frame of Christ. Awareness belongs, in some intensity to every person of genuine Christian faith. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020