For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: - 2 Corinthians 5:14
Ephesians 2:4b, 5 says that “…for his [God’s] love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved;” God raised all the dead along with His Son. Christ’s life has now touched every person, though they be blind to it. This is not uncommon. The people around Christ during His earthly ministry did not know that he, the Life of the Ages, was amongst them either.
He openly declares himself as Life incarnate, even to the scribes who diligently searched the scriptures for the very person which was now standing before them, begging to be known of the one’s called by his Father’s name. It is no different now.
He stands at every door and knocks. He is present and near, though unattended and unseen for the closed nature of our minds.
Note the architecture of the ancient Jewish home. For him to knock at the door means that he was already in the structure of the residence, but stood downstairs in the barn, seeking entrance into the upper room of the home where there was communion and mutual enjoyment amongst its residents.
It seems we always relegate him to live in a barn or a manger; rarely, if ever, allowing him entrance into the place where we really live. Therefore, the declaration of every true witness to God’s world must be that Jesus is not far off, as they suppose, but that he is a very present help. In fact, he's already in the house.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Friday, March 17, 2006
We Are What We Eat (Your Sins or God's Son)
Let's talk about redemption and salvation. They are not the same thing. Redemption made us His. Whereas, salvation is the process by which we are revealed to be like Him.
Both the consequence of our sins and our sin-nature were dealt with on the cross. We have been forgiven for what we do and what we were was killed when Jesus died. When Christ resurrected, we were also resurrected with him as new creatures. The work,then, of the Gospel is not to change people, but to notify them of the change that has already come by God's love through Christ. This is why Paul told a young pastor named Timothy to, "do the work of an evangelist."
An evangelist is not necessarily someone who preaches in sports arenas and has altar-calls, calling people to Jesus. The evangelist is one who continually brings Jesus to people, letting them know that they are accepted,and if accepted, they are also perfected in Christ. This causes the growing of Christ in them until there is an outward expression of the inward consciousness of perfection.
Christ's growth in us will result in his expression through us and the leaving behind of sinful habits and actions. But always remember that "not sinning" is not what God desires from us. What God wants is His Son. And while the by-product of His Son's growth in us will be the expression of the Christ-nature to the extinction of our sinful habits, God's desire is simply to see His Son in the earth.
This does not mean that we are free to sin. That's not the Gospel! The Gospel is that we are free to God by Jesus Christ. If that is true, then our diet must be Christ and not sin. If we eat sin-consciousness,we will only show sin. But, eating Christ-consciousness (the consciousness of our perfection in him), having a mind full of Christ - - even after we have just sinned - - will eventually make us what we eat; organically birthing Christ in us as our new nature.
Both the consequence of our sins and our sin-nature were dealt with on the cross. We have been forgiven for what we do and what we were was killed when Jesus died. When Christ resurrected, we were also resurrected with him as new creatures. The work,then, of the Gospel is not to change people, but to notify them of the change that has already come by God's love through Christ. This is why Paul told a young pastor named Timothy to, "do the work of an evangelist."
An evangelist is not necessarily someone who preaches in sports arenas and has altar-calls, calling people to Jesus. The evangelist is one who continually brings Jesus to people, letting them know that they are accepted,and if accepted, they are also perfected in Christ. This causes the growing of Christ in them until there is an outward expression of the inward consciousness of perfection.
Christ's growth in us will result in his expression through us and the leaving behind of sinful habits and actions. But always remember that "not sinning" is not what God desires from us. What God wants is His Son. And while the by-product of His Son's growth in us will be the expression of the Christ-nature to the extinction of our sinful habits, God's desire is simply to see His Son in the earth.
This does not mean that we are free to sin. That's not the Gospel! The Gospel is that we are free to God by Jesus Christ. If that is true, then our diet must be Christ and not sin. If we eat sin-consciousness,we will only show sin. But, eating Christ-consciousness (the consciousness of our perfection in him), having a mind full of Christ - - even after we have just sinned - - will eventually make us what we eat; organically birthing Christ in us as our new nature.
Friday, March 03, 2006
God's faithfulness and ours - by Henry Nouwen
When God makes a covenant with us, God says: "I will love you with an everlasting love. I will be faithful to you, even when you run away from me, reject me, or betray me." In our society we don't speak much about covenants; we speak about contracts. When we make a contract with a person, we say: "I will fulfill my part as long as you fulfill yours. When you don't live up to your promises, I no longer have to live up to mine." Contracts are often broken because the partners are unwilling or unable to be faithful to their terms.
But God didn't make a contract with us; God made a covenant with us, and God wants our relationships with one another to reflect that covenant. That's why marriage, friendship, life in community are all ways to give visibility to God's faithfulness in our lives together.
When God makes a covenant with us, God says: "I will love you with an everlasting love. I will be faithful to you, even when you run away from me, reject me, or betray me." In our society we don't speak much about covenants; we speak about contracts. When we make a contract with a person, we say: "I will fulfill my part as long as you fulfill yours. When you don't live up to your promises, I no longer have to live up to mine." Contracts are often broken because the partners are unwilling or unable to be faithful to their terms.
But God didn't make a contract with us; God made a covenant with us, and God wants our relationships with one another to reflect that covenant. That's why marriage, friendship, life in community are all ways to give visibility to God's faithfulness in our lives together.
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