The other day I was reading the discussion of Jesus with the Jews in John 8. The final question of the Jews is, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" To this Jesus replied, "Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am."
It hit me when I read this that the verb "to be" is very foundational in God's declaration of who he is. When He said, "I AM" in revelation at the burning bush to Moses, that's all that needed said. Then here in John 8, Jesus references this once again in his declaration to the Jews. It's throughout Scriptures. The very basis of who God is, who He claims to be, and how He reveals to us these things of Himself, are all referenced to using the verb "to be."
And (this is the cool part), there is not one language I know of that doesn't have "to be" as the very central, most crucial verb in the language. I'm not a linguist, so there could be room for correction here, but it's amazing to me that when God divided the languages at Babel, He still included as the very core of each language the very verb that He needed to indicate just who He is.
11 November 2011
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is what is freely offered us through the atoning sacrifice and resurrection of Christ in light of the divide caused by sin between man and God. This is to say that although we as humans screwed up and did what didn't please God, He chose to offer a way to come to him again. He accepts us with open arms if we accept His terms of the offer. The offer is this: believe in my Son who I sent to die for you, believe I forgive you through Him and I will receive you freely. Those are the terms: believe in His Son. That is the offer: to be cleansed (forgiven of sin) and come into His presence. This is an everlasting offer, with everlasting terms. This can always be entered into at any point by anyone. He never changes, and will never change this, we only have to believe to receive.
And why would we want to do this? Who wouldn't want to be in the presence of and be friends with One who knows us inside and out, yet loves us, who knows our name, the number of hairs on our head, our thoughts, our concerns, out joys, and cares genuinely about each and every one? A One who offers unending love, unending joy, unending peace, a companionship and friendship that lasts forever, and who helps us to reach our fullest potential and our greatest destiny? Who offers advice, gentle correction, a close-knit family, and life eternally?
It does cost - it costs the anger of the world that will hate that we've entered into a perfect relationship that they have yet to discover and cannot offer themselves. That cost is worth it. His love, His forgiveness, His presence is worth it more than any other thing there will ever be.
Forgiveness is what is freely offered us through the atoning sacrifice and resurrection of Christ in light of the divide caused by sin between man and God. This is to say that although we as humans screwed up and did what didn't please God, He chose to offer a way to come to him again. He accepts us with open arms if we accept His terms of the offer. The offer is this: believe in my Son who I sent to die for you, believe I forgive you through Him and I will receive you freely. Those are the terms: believe in His Son. That is the offer: to be cleansed (forgiven of sin) and come into His presence. This is an everlasting offer, with everlasting terms. This can always be entered into at any point by anyone. He never changes, and will never change this, we only have to believe to receive.
And why would we want to do this? Who wouldn't want to be in the presence of and be friends with One who knows us inside and out, yet loves us, who knows our name, the number of hairs on our head, our thoughts, our concerns, out joys, and cares genuinely about each and every one? A One who offers unending love, unending joy, unending peace, a companionship and friendship that lasts forever, and who helps us to reach our fullest potential and our greatest destiny? Who offers advice, gentle correction, a close-knit family, and life eternally?
It does cost - it costs the anger of the world that will hate that we've entered into a perfect relationship that they have yet to discover and cannot offer themselves. That cost is worth it. His love, His forgiveness, His presence is worth it more than any other thing there will ever be.
09 November 2011
Grace
Grace is the act of kindness of God towards man to forgive us of all our sins, yet it is so much more. It is His character. His character of graciousness, kindness, love, forgiveness, compassion, understanding, and fatherhood. Yet it is also His character of discipline, His stance against evil, His desire for holiness in each of us. It is the willingness of a Father to work sinful beings through forgiveness into the image and character of His beloved Son. That's Grace.
And this Grace He gives freely to anyone who asks for it, anyone willing to receive it. Yes, it costs us all to ask for this. We must give up our ways in this world and our desires of this life. But the beauty of it is that once we catch a glimpse of our life in this world in comparison to the Grace He offers, there is no turning back. His Grace is so attractive, so loving, so full of Life that we didn't even realize we were missing! And when He enters in and takes over, when He shares a piece of His Grace with us, there is nothing else in this world to desire, only Him.
So how do we receive this Grace from Him? We don't deserve it and we are awful, sinful people in the light of a perfect, holy God. Part of His Grace is making it possible for us to receive, by no act of our own other than the willingness to ask for and receive it. And by receiving His Grace we are receiving Him, for His character of Grace is who He is. It's not a one-time gift He gives. It's not something He pulls away or discards after awhile. It is a full part of who He is as God, and it will never disappear or diminish from Him because it is a foundational part of who He is as God. And He never changes. As the Scripture says, "He is the same yesterday, today and always." (Heb. 13:8) This includes His character of Grace, His forgiveness, love, compassion, kindness and goodness. These things will never change and His holiness and purity will always remain. That's good news for us who daily rely on that character to live.
Grace is the act of kindness of God towards man to forgive us of all our sins, yet it is so much more. It is His character. His character of graciousness, kindness, love, forgiveness, compassion, understanding, and fatherhood. Yet it is also His character of discipline, His stance against evil, His desire for holiness in each of us. It is the willingness of a Father to work sinful beings through forgiveness into the image and character of His beloved Son. That's Grace.
And this Grace He gives freely to anyone who asks for it, anyone willing to receive it. Yes, it costs us all to ask for this. We must give up our ways in this world and our desires of this life. But the beauty of it is that once we catch a glimpse of our life in this world in comparison to the Grace He offers, there is no turning back. His Grace is so attractive, so loving, so full of Life that we didn't even realize we were missing! And when He enters in and takes over, when He shares a piece of His Grace with us, there is nothing else in this world to desire, only Him.
So how do we receive this Grace from Him? We don't deserve it and we are awful, sinful people in the light of a perfect, holy God. Part of His Grace is making it possible for us to receive, by no act of our own other than the willingness to ask for and receive it. And by receiving His Grace we are receiving Him, for His character of Grace is who He is. It's not a one-time gift He gives. It's not something He pulls away or discards after awhile. It is a full part of who He is as God, and it will never disappear or diminish from Him because it is a foundational part of who He is as God. And He never changes. As the Scripture says, "He is the same yesterday, today and always." (Heb. 13:8) This includes His character of Grace, His forgiveness, love, compassion, kindness and goodness. These things will never change and His holiness and purity will always remain. That's good news for us who daily rely on that character to live.
08 November 2011
Unity
Unity is a theme dear to God's heart. He created the earth with symmetry and a flow of life that fits together: animals eat plants, man eats animals, man becomes fertilizer for plants. None is left out.
In Himself there is unity. The Father loves the Son, the Son serves the Father, the Spirit makes Father and Son known to us. There's unity in that.
In the Body of Christ we were created for unity as well. Some have one gift, others another. All have a gift and have their place within the Body. Some serve, some enlighten, but none are left out, and all are to participate. When one person holds back on the gift they've been given, this unity is disrupted. The chain of edification is altered and disunity arises.
Even in suffering we are designed to be unified. "When one part suffers, all suffer with it." We are unified with this, and we are unified in God's heart with this.
Unity is important to God, or else the author that penned, "As far as it is up to you, do everything to maintain the unity of the Spirit," was sharing a falsehood of what's important to God.
So how do we maintain unity? We stay in touch with God's heart, loving what He loves, avoiding what He hates. His Spirit will lead us in this, as well as the Word.
We practice our gifts edifying one another. Use what we've been given to build into others and we'll find we're built into as well.
Pray for one another. By praying for God's will to be done in each other's lives we're practicing love, we're maintaining unity.
And, finally, love one another with the love that only comes from God. Without the love, unity will be destroyed.
Unity is a theme dear to God's heart. He created the earth with symmetry and a flow of life that fits together: animals eat plants, man eats animals, man becomes fertilizer for plants. None is left out.
In Himself there is unity. The Father loves the Son, the Son serves the Father, the Spirit makes Father and Son known to us. There's unity in that.
In the Body of Christ we were created for unity as well. Some have one gift, others another. All have a gift and have their place within the Body. Some serve, some enlighten, but none are left out, and all are to participate. When one person holds back on the gift they've been given, this unity is disrupted. The chain of edification is altered and disunity arises.
Even in suffering we are designed to be unified. "When one part suffers, all suffer with it." We are unified with this, and we are unified in God's heart with this.
Unity is important to God, or else the author that penned, "As far as it is up to you, do everything to maintain the unity of the Spirit," was sharing a falsehood of what's important to God.
So how do we maintain unity? We stay in touch with God's heart, loving what He loves, avoiding what He hates. His Spirit will lead us in this, as well as the Word.
We practice our gifts edifying one another. Use what we've been given to build into others and we'll find we're built into as well.
Pray for one another. By praying for God's will to be done in each other's lives we're practicing love, we're maintaining unity.
And, finally, love one another with the love that only comes from God. Without the love, unity will be destroyed.
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