Faith for Conquering Worlds

“For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

~1 John 5:3-5 (NRSV).

There are two dimensions to the idea of salvation, always. There is the ‘now and not yet’ and the ‘the time to come’. We are saved for works here on earth as well as saved for heaven to come. Being saved is victory allowing us to conquer many difficult things in the name (and ways) of Jesus.

Faith for Conquering Our Worlds

The commands of God are the constructs for the right-living way. Studying God’s Word and getting to know God’s situational will and doing it is power for addressing all our problems, so far as they’re addressable here on earth. And even for the unaddressed problems, God gives us power and grace to accept these things, for we have a home to come that is beyond everything we’re enduring here.

When we have begun to obey God then we see how mighty God is by the factors of the Holy Spirit working in our moments to achieve for us peace beyond understanding. It is remarkable to see, for those witnessing our witness of faith.

Our obedience fires and makes real our faith. We are driven no longer by ourselves, but by a heavenly force that’s beyond the world.

Obedience from the ‘conquering’ aspect is not hard; it delivers much more than it costs. Who could put a price on victory when this victory is the very purpose of life?

Faith for Conquering The World

This form of faith is most absolute. The fact that we can do the theological arithmetic and establish that there is enough evidence in our minds and hearts to believe is beside the point.

Time comes to throw all knowledge out the window and cling fast to the fact that we’re all dying. Our bodies waste away daily; yet our spirits are being renewed and they grow by the day if that’s our accepted purpose in life. God is preparing us for something better than this world.

Conquering the world is the fact achieved at physical death unto eternity.

By belief in Christ we will supersede this marvellous physical life—one that is also torn with such acrimonious fury at times—and fly away to be with the Lord in heaven, to live where we belong. We will have conquered the world’s grasp over our spirits as they return to God.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

Remembering the LORD’s Mercy

“Like cattle that go down into the valley,

The spirit of the Lord gave them rest.”

~Isaiah 63:14 (NRSV).

Rest is a part of the design for life, yet I recognise within myself—that once upon a time—the desire to push for more was very strong. I see it in others; wanting more but wanting rest too.

The image of cattle watering by a valley’s stream, and the sense that goes with that picture, brings a peaceful schema to the flustered mind—even if fleetingly. The calming Presence of the Lord is recalled. This of all things is the most resplendent of God’s works of mercy; peace for the minute.

The Value of Oral Tradition

Way before Bibles there was only the history of the people of God that was passed down from generation to generation. The Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) was there to remind all Israel of the importance of carrying the message of God’s universal power and faithfulness—so that succeeding generations would never forget.

Those of us struggling for peace now may have had times where peace was more affordable or available—it’s pined for now. There’s an ‘oral tradition’ deep in our spirits that reminds us of the yearning we have for the experience of that calming stream. But perhaps it’s nowhere in spiritual sight just now.

Oral tradition is best when it presents as something recognisable, yet perhaps distant. This way we recall the goodness of God to get us through and we remain hopeful for it. There will be a fresh revelation of God’s mercy, but the old instance reminds us that it did occur and how it happened. As the past is relived it fuels hope for the future.

Hope Drives the Person to the Pleasant Season to Come

Whilst it doesn’t yet show itself, and we can’t for the lives of us see how it will transpire, peace-rippled change is afoot and it will cause gladness in our spirits and calm in our minds.

Indeed, even whilst in torment, the hope pervading, there is a great sense of belief in the Lord’s mercy. The great thing is we only need to have seen it work once. That time it was so powerful and relevant it swept our ideas of God into a frenzy of faith—never to doubt those portions of God again.

Here, spiritual amnesia is a thing of the past and God’s known each day for what’s done in the past—the past catapulting much meaning into the nether reaches of the present and future.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

The Unforgivable Sin – Those Against God

“Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.”

~Matthew 12:31 (NRSV).

This issue is loaded like a cannon and ready for complete misinterpretation—as many have been caused to misuse or feel condemned by it. Let’s get it clear that this is not about flippant blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

Rather it is the “deliberate perversion of the truth” in a way that’s a “settled decision to oppose the work of God.”[1] That, in sum, in this context that Jesus was in, was the Pharisees. To go to one’s death virulent in opposition to the Holy Spirit’s power and work is to welcome the gates of hell.

Assuaging Our Own Guilt

We have all blasphemed God. That issue is not in doubt and that’s something we’re found pardoned for, without doubt.

Jesus’ situation was one where the Pharisees were throwing every dark trick imaginable against the Holy Spirit’s ministry in and through him. The accusations levelled at Jesus were inflammatory tantamount to death; had Jesus not turned the issue back on them with holy cunning as he did, he may well have found himself going to the cross earlier... of course, that was not the Father’s plan!

Thinking of the Pharisees’ action to ensnare Jesus—here and at other times—it is easy to see their viciousness against the work of God. These blind guides were thrust forward to evil so much it’s difficult to contrast them with an equivalent in today’s terms—a group overt in ‘said’ stance for God, yet so much against the Spirit’s purposes.

Well, we know the false teachers that Jesus and the apostles wrote of fit into this category; those teachers preaching one thing and living clearly another... to the point of utter dichotomy.

Our focus is on knowing that normal (i.e. penitent) belief is forgiven unconditionally.

Who is Left Unforgiven?

The unforgivable sin is the action of the person actively worshipping Satan; the one doing his dirty work against the kingdom of God. That is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Who are these people in today’s terms? There are some who, like these First Century Pharisees who sought to trip Jesus up, might say they’re fervently for God, but their very activities in discouraging and dissuading the work of God are working against Kingdom purposes. This is a heart turned hard; a heart turned against certain devices or methods God might be using... in a word, legalism.

These, ironically, are the ‘ministers’ quick to judge others’ action and intent as heretical, especially if those they judge are authentic workers in the Kingdom. Whoever is not against the kingdom of God is for it (Mark 9:40). Workers for the Kingdom are never beyond reproach; they should be ready to give an account for their ministries. No one ever ministers without fault—theologically or in practice. That is, however, forgivable.

The saved person who is actively working against the devil’s purposes is for God—their forgiveness is assured, no matter what they’ve said or done in the past to the contrary!

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

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[1] R.T. France, Matthew – New Bible Commentary (Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 1953, 1954, 1970, 1994), p. 920.

Jesus’ Kingdom – Society for Late Bloomers

Jesus said to [the chief priests and elders],

“Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.”

~Matthew 21:31b (NRSV).

What a thing to say in front of ‘powerful’ people—or at least people who thought they were very special. Jesus is harsh in his critique in this section (Matthew 21:28–22:14), but it’s a kingdom truth. Pretend belief does not cut it; yet, the despicable one (in the eyes of Pharisees) who authentically turns their life around in the name of God is saved.

The red carpet is saved for the late bloomer over those counting their years as followers of God, yet doing little life-transforming during their stay on earth.

Fairness is a golden thread woven into the fabric of the Kingdom.

Just because someone was physically born into a Christian family, and they were raised with a ‘silver spooned’ church life upbringing means little in Kingdom value. Their belief must be translated in obedience... swap the concept “obedience” with “repentance,” for that’s all obedience is: the ability to discern God’s will and turn toward it in thought and action. It is obvious that many lifelong believers still have not gotten this basic concept. Attendance at church and knowledge of the Bible and legalistic prayer at mealtimes and bedtimes isn’t cutting it. Only repentance cuts it.

Good News – Especially for the Guilt-Ridden and Ashamed

Many of us have made inordinate messes of our lives: sordid with drug addiction, a meld of crime; the regretted abortion; bad sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, wives and husbands—torn by anger, greed, lust or pride... and a myriad of other ‘common’ complaints. (This list runs on and on and on.)

‘Blessed are these that see their wicked way and turn back to me,’ says Jesus. These are the true children of the Kingdom. They have recognised the eternal truth and that for a time they lived it not is of no consequence, for they have turned—and they turned just in time. Fruitfulness is a ‘now’ concept.

The wonder of this truth is there are no limit to the disasters we can make of our lives; yet, one seriously genuine cry to the Lord in Jesus’ name and we’re saved! And it’s up to us then to keep it that way—to keep repenting.

Penitence’s sign is fruitfulness. The one who turns and about-faces their lives actually lives different. The true believer is known by what they produce—not in works righteousness, like “this is how much I do”—and not by any form of ‘inherited’ status.

The inheritance is common for all those who repent. Yours is the Kingdom!

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

General Reference: Craig S. Keener, Matthew – The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1997), pp. 318-19.

When I Can’t Help You

It’s a problem for you, that I can see,

Despite your wanting to rue, it’s not the same for me,

Sure I can empathise and even hold your hand,

But the issue I’ll not prioritise, I hope you’ll understand.

Still you may come to me, in a state of worry and distress,

Expecting me to rescue, to play the role of redress,

Again I must reiterate that’s not how I see my place,

Instead with you to recognise, I’ll encourage your issues to face.

Scared you might be at that news and that I sure understand,

Nevertheless beyond your views, in your circumstances you must stand,

And if that’s accepted, and I hope it is, along we can go together again,

For times in life that make us most are responsible women and men.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Despite the harrowing mess we make of some of our relationships, rescuing people from their problems is not a good overall idea—from the aspect of wisdom.

Wisdom this way is the manner of how things turn out. Rescue someone from their handling of the problems they face and they’ll come back again; they’ll not learn their destined life lessons and a dysfunctional pattern of resolution is set up.

What Rescuing Isn’t

It’s clear that we can take tough love too far. What rescuing isn’t is important to recognise, for there’s hardly a better blessing than being an encouraging mentor in the lives of less sturdy others when they need us.

As the poem reflects, we can stand there physically (or spiritually) with those who are relying on us, but we cannot do the thing for them.

A balance is reached between supporting and rescuing. The person is inspired to ‘go it alone’ so they may taste the spoils of their victory, having spent a premium of courage to get there. This is indelible learning; a thing never to be understated.

This is particularly relevant when raising children or supporting a subordinate we’re in relationship with. Support is not doing things for people. That’s a hard lesson I know.

Faith for the Future

Whenever decisions are made for others’ longer time benefit—especially when they don’t see it—it takes faith; for a time some way off, sometimes many years, or a decade or more. Minding the moment in responsibility should be the focus.

It takes strength to maintain a healthy resolve. And such faith will be rewarded.

In the meantime, we need to distance ourselves from too much pondering about ‘what they’re going through’. The lessons being learned now are not much different to the types of lessons we learned, i.e., the hard way.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

Your Sins Are Forgiven – If You Wish It So

“But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father; Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

~1 John 2:1b-2 (NRSV).

Even believers who’ve lived their faith for decades sometimes need to be reminded of this truth: Jesus saves!

Whilst grace is unconditional there is one thing that is deeply conditional—the warrant of obedience. That is, obeying what we consciously know to be right.

The matter of God’s eternal forgiveness sorted, there’s a life to be lived out. The impartation is to live it as faithfully as we can. Yes, that’s going to prove a challenge. One that’s impossible without faith in God.

But we’re getting off track.

Truth Beyond Lying

John is poignant early on about liars. On the one hand he’s quick to point out the nature of those who betray through their overt lies, and on the other he’s saying the cost of lying (“anyone [who] does sin”) is redeemed if they say, “I have come to know [Jesus],” (1 John 2:4) and are genuinely trying to live the saved life.

This is a heart-thing and has nothing to do with the amount of success we have in our obedience to the commands of the Lord. God knows the heart.

The truth beyond lying (for we’re all liars—sanctified by Jesus if we choose) is this grace intercedes for the genuine faith-believer; those that believe God when it’s said we’re prone to deceit. That truth must be owned. This is what John is saying.

One Swoop – The Devil is Crushed and with God is Victory

There is much power in the admission of sin. Simultaneously two realities unfold. Satan is flummoxed and ruined; his only hope to prevail over us was our proud clinging to falsity. That gone, the evil power that seems so vaunted simply evaporates.

That’s only half the story—the least stimulating half.

Jesus is known to the world that faces the truth. For humankind, sin is inevitable. God knows it so well—better, in fact, than we do. All we are to do is stow this truth.

Forgiveness was not just hatched the moment we were first saved. It was ‘created’ from ever... the concept always was. Before creation it came about; only in the matters of time and earthly reality was it to be made known—for human actuality—in the Saviour’s hanging on that cross.

A repented-of sin ushers a standing still in heaven. The angels are aghast in praise for God... sight of a sinner who’s saved... a sinner who agrees with God... a sinner who knows the way home.

In the strongest terms John is imploring us to live this life—to own the truth of our own deceit and to depart from sin each and every time we consciously can; to make a passionate habit of it... but to remember most of all, condemnation for sin is finished!

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

Graphic Credit: Photograph by Jerry Worster. Sourced from: http://www.jesus-pictures.net/tag/water/. Jerry Worster’s Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/28021905@N06/

Psalms 14 / 53 – Partners in God’s Fury Hinting at Grace

“God looks down from heaven on humankind

to see if there are any who are wise,

who seek after God.”

~Psalm 53:2 (NRSV).

It’s a logical enough question: Who is wise? The psalmist answers... those “who seek after God.”

These almost identical psalms are for the backslider in all of us; yes, we’ve all been there, even if it’s only been for a day or three. But, equally, these psalms call home the eternal heartache of the Lord that no matter what truth is thrust before some eyes and hearts they won’t turn, no, never!

Yet, still again, “there is no one who does good.” (Verse 1c) “... no, not one.” (Verse 3c)

Two Parties Transgressed

Such psalms put us in two places; the position of the Lord as he looks down on crooked creation, and the scolded lowly righteous person who’s at the receiving end of persecution. Neither has a satisfactory conclusion. Either way it’s the Lord that’s transgressed—any sin hurts God.

As we meditate in this location for a moment there’s the rising stench of wickedness that begins to waft into and through our unprotected nostrils. It brings the urge to dry reach, so stark is the sin... and not from any form of self-righteousness; it’s that God’s hurt, or that an innocent person is upset. It’s the indignation experienced when injustice sweeps with its filthy birch broom through situations scattering the mud of contempt all over the place.

Oh, For the Grace of God

There is a reminder via these cherished sonnets of truth. No matter how we rework the math, sin is sin and we cannot escape the fact that we will transgress both God and the innocent person.

Guilty as charged! (If we’re honest.)

But the Avenger of both the righteous and the wicked is the Lord. These psalms speak about the consequences for both—“refuge” for the righteous (14:6b) and “scattered bones” for the ungodly (53:5b).

The good news, of course, has come into this world.

Jesus’ most eternal of magnanimous acts—the obedience to climb the hell of the cross, to be beautifully nailed to it for our sin—has saved us. He did away with wickedness in one sick throe.

“O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!

When God restores the fortunes of his people,

Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.”

~Psalms 14:7 and 53:6 (NRSV).

We know that we’re entering Zion, yes, even now. Though the physical journey is incomplete we’re on the right track if we call Jesus “Lord,” and we’re wise by seeking after God.

We will rejoice and we will be glad!

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

The Parables of the Kingdom – Sorting Old and New

“Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

~Matthew 13:52 (NRSV).

In this concluding verse, Jesus is commending the disciples to discern and treasure the things of the Kingdom in both the old tradition and the new—those coming through Jesus himself. Like the master of the household they choose with authority and responsibility, for their choices will have lasting impact.

Beyond the Word of God, which Jesus was almost certainly referring, this involves the skill of the Spiritual eye, and a dependence on God to guide.

Open Minded Discernment

True discernment (and the Parables of the Kingdom in Matthew 13 are all about discernment) is about being sufficiently open minded; which requires also an open heart that’s teachable.

The art to be practiced is that of deliberately withholding judgment and decision-making for the right time and circumstances, and being able to select for, or discern, the movement of God’s will in the flow of time. This is only done with any successful effect by the praying person—the one who sets themselves on knowing God’s nature and the will of the Almighty for the special circumstances that remit for ‘now’.

Seeming paradoxical, perhaps, the aspect of open-mindedness must work with the pickiness that is discernment, to sort the wheat from the chaff. That blend is wisdom, right there.

The Value of the Old – The Power of the New

Like anything, old things that endure centuries have worth beyond measure. Then once the new comes we’re tempted to throw the old out as gone by its use-by date.

Jesus is telling the disciples that there’s still so much of the Kingdom in the old—in fact, the Kingdom’s basis is on retaining the valuable in the Old (Old Testament Torah principles, history, wisdom and prophetic) and simply adding to it the New that he brings—the power of the New Covenant of redemption and God’s grace, salvation for the Gentiles etc.

The Old Covenant—whilst it’s immeasurably superseded—still has foundational worth in the context of the Kingdom, so far as teaching’s concerned. We do not throw out the Ten Commandments, for they reveal the foundational truth in the Beatitudes, for instance. What Jesus has taught was based from the Old—Covenant and Testament. He came not to abolish these but to fulfil them (Matthew 5:17).

For us then, in all of life we’re to retain the valuable as we search forward for the coming vestibules of truth, selecting things with an eye for discerning the Kingdom value in everyday life. In day-to-day life, it pays handsomely to order homage for those things that have lasted—they will even outlast us!

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

Before the World, Jesus Was

“So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.”

~John 17:5 (NRSV).

This is an important theological fact that is missed on many. Before the world, Jesus was.[1] Perhaps it’s because Jesus came to this earth, God incarnate, to live as a man, that we humanise the Son, not recognising he’s every bit ‘God’ as the Father and Holy Spirit are. And then we get entwined in ruminating over the Holy Trinity...

Surrendering the Glory of God – An Enigma Eternally Understated

An entire lifetime of meditation on the concept of God’s glory could not plumb the least of its depths. We can then find it understatedly stark the tensions produced for the Father to send the Son into human form, devoid of any glory. But then that’s our human way of looking at things; the sacrifice required. This is why we feel so indebted to God.

The surrendering of Glory to live a human life was required possibly for many reasons, not least of which to outwit—with more finality than we can comprehend—the shrewdness of Satan.

For humankind, the act of the Son surrendering his glory is unimaginable; yet for the Godhead it was entirely necessary. The span between those two concepts—our agony that God would need to separate for a time consummate Unity, and God’s complete and eternal acceptance of the need to—cannot ever be measured; just marvelled at.

What’s the Glory of God Like?

This means many different things to many different people. How many shades of Glory could there be? And besides, it doesn’t really matter what individual humans think Glory is, or what it’s like. It is what it is—something we’ll know about soon enough!

One thing we can know with absolute assurance is Glory’s nothing like earth. A good example of this would be the concept of light. Humankind can only envisage light as a physical energy. Could “light” in Glory be something else? Jesus spoke of light only by means of holiness... nothing about physics. Glory must be other than that we presently know.

Jesus’ Resumption in Glory

Could Jesus be praying to the Father for this very fact—for the inception of his resumption in Glory, for eternity?

A plain reading of John 17:5 gives that impression.

What to us speaks volumes of pain—Jesus’ journey to the cross—was paradoxically something, in human terms, which the Godhead sought in removing the separated tension. The Trinity is complete again. (Was it ever truly incomplete?) How enormous a concept is it to conjure images of God split? Yet, as we attempt to comprehend what eternity is like when we only have time as a yard stick, we can’t imagine what really happened. But it’s our inquisitive nature to want to know.

The point? These concepts help believers comprehend how incomprehensible are the matters of God. And how worthy is God of our fullest worship? From unmerited to sanctified by one fact are we.

From the surrendering of glory to the cross, grateful for Jesus are we to be.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

General Reference: Donald Guthrie, New Testament Theology (Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 1981), pp. 78, 91, 131.

Graphic Credit: Anglican Church League website: http://acl.asn.au/resources/eternity/.

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[1] Indeed, in John’s use of the Greek kosmos (for “world”) in John 17:5 he means “created order,” i.e. Creation.

Pilgrimage(s) to Heaven Every Day

“All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.”

~Hebrews 11:13-14 (NRSV).

Those heroes of faith referred above were not home here on earth. It was at best the temporary dwelling, for God was their mantle. Theirs was a pilgrimage daily to the God-encounter, the call for which the Lord was taking them, and as per any journey, full of anticipation—adventures abounding each day!

Home for them was the Presence of God whilst they meandered over the earth.

Home on Earth? Via Fact and Experience

Whether people consider themselves home on earth or not is inconsequential to the fact. But, it’s not so to their experience. The fact resonates that we’re never entirely at home on earth whether we believe in God or not, for home would mean eternal peace. (Spiritual beings—i.e. every human being—cannot find a home in a physical place.)

It follows, then, that experience is coupled to this fact; the person at truth finds this earthly tent cannot hold them. There is something better far off in the distance.

“If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.”

~Hebrews 11:15-16 (NRSV).

The worst thing we can do when we embark on a journey, and as we traverse it, is look reflectively behind us. That time for reflection is some time off—when the homeland’s reached for safety, or at least a satisfactory way station that resembles the City of God.

When our thoughts of home join with the concepts that God has for us neither party is ashamed (or denying the reality) of the other. It’s a fact that we cannot escape the call of heaven; all are called, and only those holding to the truth answer affirmatively. It’s those who answer that agree that earth is not home; that each day’s a pilgrimage to heaven.

Each Day – Fresh Possibilities

God has not sent humankind on some fetch of fancy without apparent reason. There’s a purpose for existence, even if that’s to recognise that being on earth is propounding the distance to home. Some hunger for it. Others detest the thought. But all are headed there. But not yet for all but a few...

Instead, we’re offered life—but not just a life where we pretend we’re home.

When we visit with people or go on vacation we act differently. There’s a circumspect nature that’s added to our personas. Things are noticeable and experience is captured, not like our everyday experience of ‘home’ i.e. where we live. The pilgrimage is invigorating.

There’s a gentler respect known within that appreciates the size and nature of things—the size and nature of our persons is right-sized and right-natured... no longer are we the ‘centre’ of the universe.

And this is best the reminder of heaven. The City of God is a big place. So is the earth. But, we cannot comprehend how large in comparison is heaven. The daily pilgrimages made should reveal wonder at the size and nature of things, without fear of their size or nature overwhelming us.

Whichever way we look at it each day is a pilgrimage to heaven... one day closer to that reality in one realm, and one heavenly experience here during visitation on earth in another.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.

Graphic Credit: Sarah J. Wickham, used by permission. Website: www.sjcreative.com.au.

One Gospel

“As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed!”

~Galatians 1:9 (NRSV).

Strong words. Necessarily though the message had to be plain for the Galatians who’d rapidly slidden into a legalistic grace (nullifying it). I wonder if we’ll readily see the same signs in ourselves if that’s the propensity. That’s the problem. Legalism blinds.

The Apostle Paul is forceful in rebuking the Galatians right here and throughout, exhorting them to turn from “adding” their legal nuances to an eternal and already-perfect grace.

Some of our common “adding” behaviours are to ‘pray more’ or ‘read our Bibles more,’ not that either of those is bad. Indeed, they’re wholly good. But if the motive is to pray more or read more to appease God or conscience then we’re barking up the wrong tree! Grace is about love, or wanting to do what we do, not sacrifice because we feel we have to.

What’s Wrong with This Message?

Christ died for all, and since this happened all have died so that they might live (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

Likewise, it attends that any message of ‘grace’ without Christ central to it—however dollied up it might be—is a false and insufficient gospel; one with much room for heresy, allowances of apostasy and movements of legalism to shift right in.

If Christ is somehow held high, yet the Saviour’s crucifixion and resurrection are forgotten, it’s an anachronism of the true gospel of grace. It’s wrong to forget the motif of suffering central to the Gospel so as to chase the life of unremitting joy. One does not exist without the other. Grace came at a rich price. We suffer well.

Further, whilst all the right things are said and borne in mind, if there is lived an idolatrous life, the Gospel is not yet real in that life. This is our common problem. Whilst we may’ve accepted the offer of grace—and salvation is a real concept before God, meaning we’re destined for heaven—none of us is saved so much that we’re protected from temptations to idolatry. But if life is lived with accord to the Gospel, there is a surrendering of that which hinders. It’s an honest, courageous life.

No Splitting Hairs – Reconciliation is Complete

It is human nature to look the gift horse in the mouth.

We don’t accept gifts well as a norm. In terms of grace, our human nature wants to thank God in tangible ways to earn the gift. It’s like any motive we have to repay favours. If we want to find out someone’s real motivation for gifting something to us, we don’t return the favour; but we pass it on to someone else.

Should we want to re-gift the grace that others (or God) issue(s) us from love? That would cheapen the deal. For their love we’d offer in return a guilt-laden, conditional love—that which can only ever be an insult, rightly construed.

This item of Spiritual reconciliation is complete. There’s nothing to prove; nothing to earn.

Enjoy peace with God in clear conscience, but stay penitent. The Lord is closer than you think.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.