2011-12-02
Hi There Dear Ones,
Last week, I was led to write about how Lucifer, God’s prized angel in charge of worship, who was “born among the gems” [EZK 28: 13] and whose voice “sounded like music” [IS 14: 11] became Satan, the “accuser.” He, along with one third of the heavenly host [angels]. were tossed down to earth [REV 12: 9], and, in the form of a serpent, tempted Eve and Adam [GN 3: 1-6], causing mankind to inherit sin and need to be redeemed by the Father’s only Son. It is only the Lord Jesus Christ Who can stop this headlong slippery slide into sin and death. He did this by His Atonement on the cross and a believer’s repentance and heartfelt faith in Him [JN 3: 16; RO 3: 24-25; RO 1: 16-17]. We learned foundational ethics from EPH 2: 8-10, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith –and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God –not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
We need to look at the question: Can we, the lesser party in the Covenant of Grace, set the terms of the covenant? The example of what happened to Lucifer when he said in his heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountains…” [IS 14: 13] stands to show us. IS 14: 16-17, “Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate. ‘Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble, the man who made the world a desert, who overthrew its cities, and would not let his captives go home?’” Think of where his followers, Adolph Hitler, Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden, are now. IS 14: 19b-20, “Like a corpse trampled underfoot, you will not join them [the honored] in burial, for you have destroyed your land and killed your people.”
We must carefully consider Christ’s words in MK 8: 34-38 [MT 16: 21-28; LK 9: 22-27]. “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me and for the Gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in the adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him whenever He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.” It is because of Christ’s singular position as the perfect Propitiation [acceptable Sacrifice for the sins of the world] that allows Him to say this and be accurate with it. It gives mankind [and for that matter, the devil himself] a need to think twice before placing themselves at the center of power and more important in determining fate than God is. As for Who dictates the terms of the covenant we are in with God, it is clear. We are to be faithfully obedient and reverent to Him, not the other way around. It is His agenda that we should make our own, not ours He should make His own. HE 10: 10, “And by that [coming to earth to do the will of God] will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” It is clear that the Father, not even the Son, sets the terms of the covenant we are to keep. It is the example of the Son’s obedience to the Father that we should use as our paradigm [model]. Christ didn’t just say his words in MK 8: 34-38 to the multitude that were with him in the field that day, but to all who come to Him throughout mankind’s history. It is why we include these words in the service of holy communion, from 1 COR 11: 25, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this [give thanks] whenever you drink of it, in remembrance of Me.”
Our Lord, Jesus Christ, is the Mediator of the new covenant. That means that He brings peace with God to all believers who have faith in Him and who repent of their sins. A mediator is one who settles disputes, makes peace, brokers a compromise, or brings reconciliation between the parties of the covenant. RO 5: 8-11, “But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were all sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! Not only is the so, but we rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received reconciliation.” Consider how this reveals the enormous love, unattainable quantity of love shown by ordinary men, that our God has for us. This is enough love that it can’t be measured. Verses like PHIL 2: 1, “Your life in Christ makes you strong, and His love comforts you. You have fellowship with the Spirit, and you have kindness and compassion for one another,” allow us to see what this love does, but not quantify it. We can examine the effects of His love, take comfort in the prayers of Christ [as in JN 17: 24] for it, and see the spread of it to others, but we can’t measure it. That love is being sent to each reader of these messages through the words the Holy Spirit gives me to write. I can feel it myself, and He allows me to send it to each of you.
PRAYER: O Lord, when we go back to the words of MK 8: 34 [LK 9: 23], If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me…” You have said these words in italics in the Greek translation in the aorist tense, indicating a present and continuing action. You are telling us, now, do it! Just as you are telling us this, You are also intimating something from Yourself, which is present and continuing; and that is blessing and protection from evil. From my own comparison of what my life was like without You in it verses what it is like now, it is the difference between simply existing and really living. Our faith in You tells us that when You promise You are the “first among many brothers” in RO 8: 29, we can believe that with compliance to our end of the covenant, that we can look forward to being resurrected to heaven for life eternal. That is the greatest blessing of all. 1 PET 1: 3, “Praise be to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 JN 1: 9 lets us know that You are giving us eternal forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” What comfort there is in knowing that! You are a just, loving, patient, and compassionate God. You were willing to sacrifice Your only begotten Son on the cross after allowing Him to suffer, so that we can be saved through our faith in Him. You give us the power to battle the devil to victory over sin and sure spiritual death [EPH 1: 18-20]. You supply us with our every need [PS 37: 11; PS 24: 1]. We offer You our heartfelt and eternal thanks and praise. In Christ’s holy/mighty name, we pray. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: We will begin a new segment called “Death to Human Independence.” In it the Spirit leads me to discuss more about MK 8: 35 and the impact of a man-centered, materialistic existence and a God-centered life forever through living the covenant. Surely there is a great difference between these two diametrically opposite lifestyles! We look into making God’s agenda our own and other facets of living a life “in Christ.” How blessed we are that we are given such a choice to make. Without it our lives would be a slippery slide to certain spiritual death. When we make the choice to live “in Christ,” our lives are hidden in Him. COL 3: 3-4, “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Your real life is Christ and when He appears, then you too will appear with him and share His glory.” Next week, we’ll look into what this really means. In the meanwhile, remember this verse: PS 146: 5, “But happy are those who have the God of Israel as their Helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.” Be reminded that God’s love is right here for all who believe. ZEPH 3: 17, “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty Savior, He will take delight in you with gladness; with His love He will calm all fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” We, who believe, are truly a blessed people. Praise and thanks be to Him forever!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15