Today, begins a series of essays addressing questions which have come into my life in a most disruptive manner. Questions deriving from what has been described as a situation where one person calls a rose what may in fact be a used tail wipe. And we all know the law of the roses--if it aint a rose, it might be a flower, or something. But the question is, does it stink to high heaven? Sumpin' does.
As I enter the Gates of Heaven, how will I be received? Note that I said after I enter the Gates of Heaven. The pass through the Gates is Jesus. So, for the sake of this argument we will assume that the judgement seat is under the Needle's Eye of the Gates, much as we can imagine Mordecai's seat, or the seat where Boaz went to find settlement.
Some conversations have been concluded, the facts and truth revealed, some judgement passed, but now because of Jesus' advocacy on my part, I have passed through the Gates and in I come! How am I received?
Well, let us look to the first to live and choose, and the first to realize inadequacy and guilt, and first then to receive cover and consequence. Adam, given (by God himself) breath, duty, challenge, sustenance, companionship(help meet), fellowship(face to face), honor, and limit and promise, to everyone's despair, fell, revealing his nakedness. In his despair he tried to hide his nakedness, and for that nakedness was given cover by the shedding of blood, but made to live in flesh outside Paradise, by sweat and frustration. As he had frustrated God's plan for Paradise and caused the Word to sweat, even die, so he received. Did this please God? How was he received through the gates--all we can say is as he lived. Would I have liked the opportunity to reside in Paradise? Wouldn't you? Because of Adam, all must live in flesh outside of Paradise. Life is burdensome and deadly. Man 'O' man, do I hate to sweat! It stings my eyes, it stinks my pits and it stains my shirts.
Stinging, Stinking, Staining sweat. But if I had been there instead of Adam, no different outcome can I imagine. I have had the proof and the test and failed many times.
Thank God for the cleansing flood, the blood of Christ shed on a tree, the bruised heel of Victory's march, that pays my ransom and grants me entrance through the gates. Through the expression of honest humble gratitude I act differently, better, closer to Christlike, I treat others with dignity and respect and care, then as I return to Paradise I become honored in the honor I have tried to give. And as is evidenced throughout the scriptures the attitude of trying, of being ready and willing, of being at my best possible condition, brings a surety to my self, and or as Peter said in NLT from BlueLetterBible.com
2 Peter `1:
3 As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! 4 And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in his divine nature.
5 So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better. 6 Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. 7 Godliness leads to love for other Christians,* and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone. 8 The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop these virtues are blind or, at least, very shortsighted. They have already forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin.
10 So, dear brothers and sisters,* work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Doing this, you will never stumble or fall away. 11 And God will open wide the gates of heaven for you to enter into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
to repeat 10-11 in the literal Bible
10. Therefore rather, brothers, be diligent sure of you the calling and choice to make, these things because doing not at all you will fall ever.
11. so For richly will be furnished to you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of the Lord of us and Savior, Jesus Christ.
My best try at this passage tells me that if I have actually believed in the Creator of my Salvation then I cannot help but do those things which give evidence of that belief and salvation. So then I will be received as I lived, else how have I have accepted the Son and rejected the Spirit with which He offered His life-in service to die.
So yes smitty, it does matter what I do once the blood of Christ covers me, but no smitty, it was not good that Adam fall. To state such feels antithetical to the Holy Spirit of Hope, Peace, Joy, Love, Goodness, Kindness, Temperance and Meekness.
Who is raised that I must see
His bronzed skin at the height of tree?
His frozen stance upon some crain"!
His esteem we must behold,
His story yet goes so untold,
E'en in the brightness of his light,
How can I be so cold,
Such 'til yet to be so quiet.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment