To whom God wills to make known what are the glorious riches of this secret among the nations, which is: Christ among you, the expectation of glory
Paul to the Colossians 1: 27, Concordant New Testament
Once again, I was reminded this week of someone struggling with the truth of their own identity. In a conversation with one of our fellow Gym Rats, my friend commented to me, "Why can't I find someone who loves me?" Honestly, my first inclination was to remind him to start his search from within. In the interest of being supportive, I chose not to remind him of this truth. Of course, I'm not at all sure that he would have understood what I meant anyway. It has only been in recent years that my own eyes have been opened to the truth of the man that I am. That man is not how the world sees me, but, more importantly, how God looks upon me. For people can find many different ways to describe someone in order to bring them down or discourage them. This is a struggle which I have had for most of my own life. Unfortunately, many of these negative words of those around me affected not only how I saw myself, but how I felt that others saw me. I believe that this is the same struggle that my friend is going through. I can only imagine what negative words have been thrown his way to make him feel as he does. In some of my negative moments in the past I began to ask myself, who am I? Who is this guy everyone seems to dislike? What have I done to them? Worst of all were the times which I prayed to God and begged Him to reveal to me why He didn't like me. Well, that revelation would ultimately come, but not in the way which I expected. When it did come, God didn't answer my question, but revealed to me how it is that He really saw His child. That is my prayer for my friend these days. That the Father would open his eyes to who he truly is as He has for me. So, what is it that fosters this negative image of ourselves? I admit that others might fill our moments with negative and hurtful words, but is this really the cause of our negative view of ourselves? I'd say no, and here's why. Growing up in the church, I was taught that God was my refuge in life. When things got messy, I could always come to the Father and take comfort in Him. This is one of the lies which the mainstream church taught me. Can anyone see the error in this thinking? The truth is that I no longer need to "Come to the Father." For contrary to the separation theology of the church, my life in now in Him {Johns Account 14:20}.
With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ. Now that which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me
Paul to the Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament
I believe that the words of the apostle Paul in his spoken evangel provide us not only with a solid foundation of our own identity in the Lord, but the understanding that sin no longer plays a dominant role in who it is that we are in Him. The church will tell us night and day that our sin has separated us from God. Not true at all. Yet the more often a lie is declared it soon becomes accepted as truth. In this case, the lie spoken by the church for thousands of years is that which the accuser spoke to Eve in the garden {Genesis 3:1-6}. It is Satan who not only declared that he would exalt himself above the throne of the Lord {Isaiah 14:13}, but has also spoken his lie unto the Lords creation. It is Satan who spoke to Eve that if she were to eat of that forbidden fruit that she would "Be like God, to know good and evil" {Genesis 3:5}. Of course, this is contrary to what God Himself has declared, that there is NO GOD but Him {Isaiah 45:5}. Instead of the teachings of the church, which speak to our sin separating us from the Father, the truth we find in Him is that our life is forever in Him {Acts of the Apostles 17:24-25}. God has given life to all. On the issue of sin, Paul speaks to our former "Body of sin" being put to death with Christ Jesus on the cross {Paul to the Romans 6:6}. We're also told that it is Christ who has "Died to sin once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}. Jesus has paid our debt for past, present and future sin once for all time. His final words on the cross attest to this. As He died, Jesus proclaimed "It is accomplished" {Johns Account 19:30}. This is His truth of who we are in Him.
~Scott~
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