"Indeed, now we see dimly through a glass, we see in part, however, now face to face I know fully as also I am fully known."1
A child looks dimly into a mirror not fully knowing his true identity in Christ. A young man, he looks fully as the Word of God, Jesus, abides in Him. He looks into Christ, face to face, into the law of liberty, and he has overcome the evil one. We are being transformed from glory to glory into the image of Christ and one day we will be full, as Christ came in the fullness of the Father, of grace and truth. We seek your glory, the glory as that of the only begotten of the Father.
"For it was fitting that he, for whom by whom all things exist, many sons to glory, having brought, the author of their salvation to make perfect through suffering"5
God put all things under the feet of men, giving him dominion over the earth, "He left nothing outside of his control. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him."6 Death was not subject to man and the power of death the devil had. "He himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery."7 One was "made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God, he might taste death for everyone."10
"For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ."12
We see death reigned through Adam, but in One we see grace, by the grace of God Christ died so that we might have dominion over death, that we might live, and live so abundantly. So by grace God sent His Son to die so we who receive by faith, the gift of righteousness will reign in Christ. In Christ we have dominion over death, and it is by grace, which we have access to by faith, that we will reign through Jesus Christ. "For sin shall not reign, because you are not under law, but under grace."11
"For you did not receive the spirit of bondage to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”12
It is amazing to me that through religion people would exchange the image of God into something it is not. Idolatry is a great abomination to God, to worship another god, but think how He feels when people exchange the image of God, his glory, into that like that of man. This is what the leaders at the time of Jesus had done, they had the promises, covenants, temple, scrolls, book of the covenant, ten commandments... and they had exchanged it for a lie. Here was Truth, Jesus, before them and they rejected the Truth. Looking at Paul's teachings one cannot escape such open discussion and warnings of these people. Jesus said of the Pharasees, the love of God did not abide in their hearts, they did not seek the glory of God but of men. Their leaven was the teachings of the law and the sign was hypocrisy.
"whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."12
The teachings of these people, like the Pharasees, Paul writes, are not of men, but are doctrines of demons introduced by the devil. These teachings lurk under teachings like that of authority which produces fear and condemnation as a means to enslave people in fear. What is one of the purposes of satan? to kill. What did the law do? it killed. So if the devil introduces confusion of the old covenant with that of the new, he creates ample opportunity to use the teachings of the law and spirits to produce fear and condemnation in children. The Pharisees, under the law, cleaned the outward, exchanging the truth of God for a lie, they created a false religion, an external appearance of righteousness, self-imposed religion, false humility... Such doesn't give Liberty and Life, nor does it perfect, no, it kills little children.
Jesus gave a warning to those who hurt His little children, it would be better for them to be cast into the sea. A child looks dimly into a mirror not knowing his true identity in Christ. It is a tragedy that men would criticize and condemn a little child. You should know better, get over it... These think themselves spiritually mature, having arrived but have they forgot where they came from? or possibly they are not as mature as they think having arrived in the flesh? Condemantion works opposite of the word and Spirit of God, it is of power, love and a sound mind.
"For God has not given us the spirit of timidity; but of power, love, and of a sound mind."11
The Law had power through the fear of punishment, the fear of death, thus it produced condemnation. The Word of God and the Spirit of God brings Life and Liberty and perfects through love. The opposite, living to rules and regulations, is as the letter of the law, it kills. It is one of the greatest tragedies of the Church of my childhood, condemned under the "letter of the law." Death not life produced in little children, under the name of God. But if I could talk to younger me, I would tell him a few things, you have a heavenly Father, he has chosen you, you are a son set free.
"And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God."11
Liberty in Christ, a son is set free. Here is what I would say to younger me, do not listen to those lies, the devil seeks to kill you, to produce death in you, Jesus he came not to condemn you, but to save you, to give you Life more abundantly. Dear younger me in Christ,
"You are holy
You are righteous
You are one of the redeemed
Set apart a brand new heart
You are free indeed..."
Dear Younger Me
A child looks dimly into a mirror not fully knowing his true identity in Christ. A young man, he looks fully as the Word of God, Jesus, abides in Him. He looks into Christ, face to face, into the law of liberty, and he has overcome the evil one. We are being transformed from glory to glory into the image of Christ and one day we will be full, as Christ came in the fullness of the Father, of grace and truth. We seek your glory, the glory as that of the only begotten of the Father.
"For it was fitting that he, for whom by whom all things exist, many sons to glory, having brought, the author of their salvation to make perfect through suffering"5
God put all things under the feet of men, giving him dominion over the earth, "He left nothing outside of his control. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him."6 Death was not subject to man and the power of death the devil had. "He himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery."7 One was "made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God, he might taste death for everyone."10
"For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ."12
We see death reigned through Adam, but in One we see grace, by the grace of God Christ died so that we might have dominion over death, that we might live, and live so abundantly. So by grace God sent His Son to die so we who receive by faith, the gift of righteousness will reign in Christ. In Christ we have dominion over death, and it is by grace, which we have access to by faith, that we will reign through Jesus Christ. "For sin shall not reign, because you are not under law, but under grace."11
"For you did not receive the spirit of bondage to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”12
It is amazing to me that through religion people would exchange the image of God into something it is not. Idolatry is a great abomination to God, to worship another god, but think how He feels when people exchange the image of God, his glory, into that like that of man. This is what the leaders at the time of Jesus had done, they had the promises, covenants, temple, scrolls, book of the covenant, ten commandments... and they had exchanged it for a lie. Here was Truth, Jesus, before them and they rejected the Truth. Looking at Paul's teachings one cannot escape such open discussion and warnings of these people. Jesus said of the Pharasees, the love of God did not abide in their hearts, they did not seek the glory of God but of men. Their leaven was the teachings of the law and the sign was hypocrisy.
"whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."12
The teachings of these people, like the Pharasees, Paul writes, are not of men, but are doctrines of demons introduced by the devil. These teachings lurk under teachings like that of authority which produces fear and condemnation as a means to enslave people in fear. What is one of the purposes of satan? to kill. What did the law do? it killed. So if the devil introduces confusion of the old covenant with that of the new, he creates ample opportunity to use the teachings of the law and spirits to produce fear and condemnation in children. The Pharisees, under the law, cleaned the outward, exchanging the truth of God for a lie, they created a false religion, an external appearance of righteousness, self-imposed religion, false humility... Such doesn't give Liberty and Life, nor does it perfect, no, it kills little children.
Jesus gave a warning to those who hurt His little children, it would be better for them to be cast into the sea. A child looks dimly into a mirror not knowing his true identity in Christ. It is a tragedy that men would criticize and condemn a little child. You should know better, get over it... These think themselves spiritually mature, having arrived but have they forgot where they came from? or possibly they are not as mature as they think having arrived in the flesh? Condemantion works opposite of the word and Spirit of God, it is of power, love and a sound mind.
"For God has not given us the spirit of timidity; but of power, love, and of a sound mind."11
The Law had power through the fear of punishment, the fear of death, thus it produced condemnation. The Word of God and the Spirit of God brings Life and Liberty and perfects through love. The opposite, living to rules and regulations, is as the letter of the law, it kills. It is one of the greatest tragedies of the Church of my childhood, condemned under the "letter of the law." Death not life produced in little children, under the name of God. But if I could talk to younger me, I would tell him a few things, you have a heavenly Father, he has chosen you, you are a son set free.
"And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God."11
Liberty in Christ, a son is set free. Here is what I would say to younger me, do not listen to those lies, the devil seeks to kill you, to produce death in you, Jesus he came not to condemn you, but to save you, to give you Life more abundantly. Dear younger me in Christ,
"You are holy
You are righteous
You are one of the redeemed
Set apart a brand new heart
You are free indeed..."
Dear Younger Me