The Good Of The Father (Who's The Real Judge?) # 2135

 

"Do not judge, lest you may be judged.  For with what judgement you are judging, shall you be judged, and with what measure you are measuring, shall it be measured to you.  Now why are you observing the mote which is in your brothers eye, yet the bean in your own eye you are not considering?  Or how will you be declaring to your brother, 'Brother, let me extract the mote out of your eye,' and lo! The beam is in your eye?  Hypocrite!  Extract first the beam out of your eye, and then you will be keen-sighted to be extracting the mote out of your brothers eye."

Matthews Account 7: 1 -5, Concordant New Testament 

I have met many people in my time who have taken it upon themselves to deliver unto others the judgement of the Lord.  I myself have taken that responsibility upon myself from time to time.  As Christians, we understand that God is the ultimate judge of mankind.  But that has seldom stopped us from taking our place upon His throne to do that job which only He is qualified.  I know a friend who it seems is hell bent upon deciding who it is will be saved.  He will quote the scriptures like a well versed scholar as he justifies his point.  He will declare that anyone who has not accepted Christ Jesus will be guilty of the hell which God has prepared for the devil and his compadres {Matthews Account 25:41}.  But he doesn't stop there, he will also declare that those who do not live by the rules of the Lord will also be guilty of being thrown into hell for all eternity.  I asked him once, who is the real judge, you or God?  Predictably, he turned to cherry picking the scriptures to prove his seemingly righteous belief.  Sorry, but I'm not buying that nonsense.  I believe that the one true judge is our Father Who is in heaven.  Not only that, any attempt which we make to usurp His authority will inevitably make us guilty of that which Jesus Himself warned us to avoid.  For it is Jesus Himself who has declared that we're not to make ourselves the judge of others {Matthews Account 7:1-5}.  Jesus went so far as to describe such people as hypocrites.  Remember, He also proclaimed the scribes and Pharisees of His day as hypocrites for their practices {Matthews Account 23:13-17}.  In all honesty, I see little difference in the ways of my friend and the ways of the Pharisees of Jesus' day, and that's a problem. 

It's no secret among the Christian circles that there has been a mass exodus of believers leaving the church they once held so close to their hearts.  One of the reasons people give for leaving the church is that they have found those within the church to be too judgmental.  One look at my friend, who is a die- hard church attendee, and I can see that this is a true statement.  In fact, I have lived the issue of judgmental Christians in my own life.  I was once among that crowd.  I'm not proud of it, but that was what I was taught to do.  Pastors love to point out that we're to confront a sinning brother {Matthews Account 18:15-17}.  These are indeed the words spoken by Jesus in His sermon on the Mount.  But what was the intent of Jesus in this situation?  Was it to put our brother into judgment?  No!  As a good friend mentioned to me this week, Jesus did not focus on judging others over their sin, but on restoring their relationship with the Father.  In fact, the iconic verse which proclaims that God so loved the world that He dispatched His only Son to save it speaks to the truth that Jesus has not come into the world to condemn it, but to save it {Johns Account 3:16-17}.  Yet too many well-meaning judgmental believers disregard the accompanying verse of this passage, which speaks to the forgiveness of Jesus.  That it has never been Gods intent that Jesus come into this world as the judge of the world, but that ALL the world shall be saved through Him.  Tell me, what room is there for our judging of others in this passage?  If we choose to emulate Jesus, shouldn't we be emulating His forgiveness of others as well?  But perhaps I'm being too judgmental myself.  

For thus God loves the world, so that He gives His only-begotten Son, that everyone who is believing in Him should not be perishing, but should be having life eonian.  For God does not dispatch His Son into the world that He should be judging the world, but that the world shall be saved through Him 

Johns Account 3: 16-17, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Accusers Voice) # 2134

 

We are of God.  He who knows God is hearing us.  He who is not of God is not hearing us.  By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deception 

First Epistle of Johns 4: 6, Concordant New Testament 

I had a conversation with a friend yesterday who asked me to pray for him.  It wasn't an unusual prayer request, one I'm sure we've all had at one time or another.  See, my friend was concerned over feelings of inadequacy which he was having lately.  Feelings that he wasn't worth much and that God had no use for him.  Now, obviously this is a false and misleading message, but one which many others have fallen victim to at one time or another.  There was a time when I myself gave into these feelings of not feeling worthy.  I think we've all experienced this at one time of another.  The first advice which I gave my friend was to beware of the spirit of error.  That is, the voice of Satan the accuser.  It is well known among Christian circles that the devil will take each and every opportunity not only to drive a wedge between ourselves and the Father, but to deliver unto us messages which erode our faith and confidence in who it is that we are in the Fathers eyes.  The scriptures tell us that the devil "Is walking about as a roaring lion, seeking someone to swallow up" {Peter to the Dispersion (1) 5:8}.  We know that the devil, our accuser, has never been passive in his ways.  He will take each and every opportunity to drive us deeper and farther away from the Lord.  He's also crafty {Genesis 3:1}.  He will take the opportunity to speak to our spirits and imitate the voice of the Father.  He knows all to well what he's doing.  I believe that this is the voice that my friend has been hearing, because it's that same voice I recognize from before.  That voice which speaks to our faults and our fears.  That voice which tells us that we're no good, that we're too sinful for the Father to even care about us.  These are the lies of the deceiver!  The litmus test for these falsehoods is to ask yourself, when has God ever declared that I am not good enough for Him?  To believe otherwise is to believe in the lies of the deceiver.  This is the voice of the spirit of error {First Epistle of John 4:6}.  

I know the spirit of error because I've heard it before in my own life.  I've come to recognize his tactics.  My friend, on the other hand, is new to this game.  Back when I felt totally inadequate in my life, I blindly followed that voice which spoke the lies to me.  That God could not love someone who screwed up in their life as much as I had.  That God had turned His back on me due to my behaviors.  These were all lies spoken to me in my time of despair.  It's not uncommon for the deceiver to speak to us in our weak moments.  This is what he's done to me.  This is what he's doing to my friend.  My friend took comfort in the fact that he's not alone, that I have heard the words of the deceiver as well.  That many others have fallen victim to his lies as well.  To his credit, my friend questioned what he felt that he was hearing within his spirit.  It was a voice which he hadn't heard before from the Lord.  Why would God try to make him feel inadequate in any way?  THAT is the key here, God would never speak in that way to His loved child.  What God would tell us is the truth which we find in the scriptures.  That we are His loved child {First Epistle of John 3:1}.  That Jesus has paid that debt for our sin {Paul to the Romans 6:6-11}.  That it is His desire that His children are saved {Johns Account 3:16-17}.  This is the truth which we have in the Father.  If we are hearing this in our spirit, it is His voice.  On the other hand, if we're hearing that voice which accuses and demeans us, we're hearing the voice of the deceiver.  

"My sheep are hearing My voice, and I know them, and they are following Me" 

Johns Account 10: 27, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (He Chose Love) # 2133

 

He who is not loving knew not God, for God is love 

First Epistle of John 4: 8, Concordant New Testament 

I glanced over an article a friend sent me this week which delved into the fact of fear based religion.  As Christians, we've all been there, right?  We know and understand that God loved us enough to create us in His own likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  We even understand that it is God Who has given us life {Genesis 2:7, Acts of the Apostles 17:25}.  However, despite knowing all of this, we often live in fear of what God has ultimately planned for us.  How, if we don't live our lives in the right way, that He might just banish us into that lake of hell fire He has reserved for the devil and his cohorts.  That in enough would make any believer tremble in their boots.  So it is that those within the mainstream church have chosen to use fear in an attempt to get their congregations to tow the church line.  This playbook has been working for thousands of years.  The church will proclaim that we're all sinners, that we're deserving of the Lords punishment.  But what does God tell us?  When we strip away the words and Sunday sermons of a church that would rather condemn us than save us, we begin to see that this was never God intention.  The apostle John says this clearly in his own words, that "He who is not loving knew not God, for God is love" {First Epistle of John 4:8}.  So, God does not see us as sinners awaiting His final judgement, but as His loved and cherished children {First Epistle of John 3:1}.  But, as the saying goes, if you tell a lie often enough eventually it is seen as truth.  This has been the tactic used by those within the mainstream church for generations.  To draw our attention away from the true nature of the Father.  To convince us that we are inherently bad and deserving of His punishment.  Who wouldn't be afraid of that?  How can we ever trust in a God Who claims to love us, yet plans to condemn us?  But this is the very message which is spoken by those within the church.  Fear keeps the believers in line. 

I remember back in my church days, how I lived in fear that I would never measure up to the standard which God had set before me.  How could He love a sinner like me?  What did I have to do in order to secure His love for me?  Granted, my fears were amplified with each and every Sunday sermon I heard.  Even in the day I decided that I was through with the institutional church, after speaking to the truth that Jesus died and was raised again for the forgiveness of my sin, the pastor welcomed any and all who felt they were sinners to come forward for prayer.  Why wouldn't I feel the guilt of sin?  This is what I had been taught from a young age.  This is what we've all been taught.  But it took my leaving the traditional church for my eyes to be opened to the truth.  That God has never intended to condemn me, but to love me.  He has never chosen condemnation, only love.  We can say that everything He does is out of His true love nature.  That through His love for us, we are His children.  That through His love for us, He dispatched His Son not to condemn, but to save {Johns Account 3:16-17}.  As the apostle has written, Jesus has not come to judge the world, but that "The world may be saved through Him."  Make no mistake, God could have sent His Son into the world to judge us, but that wasn't in His nature.  His desire all along has been to gather His children unto Himself.  Yet this truth flies in the face of the lie spoken by those within the church.  That it is our sin which has separated us from a loving God.  But it is God Who desires for us to know the truth, and that truth is that we are not destined for condemnation, but salvation.  Those within the church will describe this as universal salvation, and those who speak it are accused of blasphemy and lies.  But I ask, why would God love me enough to save me only to condemn me?  Those within the church have chosen to condemn, God chooses to love. 

Perceive what manner of love the Father has given us, that we may be called children of God!  And we are!  Therefore the world does not know us, for it did not know Him 

First Epistle of John 3: 1, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Gathering) # 2132

 

And He is the head of the body, the ecclesia, Who is sovereign, Firstborn from among the dead, that in all He may be becoming first

Paul to the Colossians 1: 18, Concordant New Testament 

It's no secret that the traditional church has been hemorrhaging members for many years.  I've spoken to this many times on this page.  People who once were gung ho in coming together in the name of the Lord are now lukewarm to that possibility.  What changed?  Well, as I've mentioned before, I believe that it is those within the church that changed it.  This is not something which has suddenly happened, but has been ongoing for the thousands of years since the inception of the first organized group of believers.  From the beginning, the focus has not been on Jesus, but on the desires of man.  But there is another church which is led by Christ Jesus which He continues to grow.  This gathering, the ecclesia, are those followers of Christ which He Himself draws unto the Father.  The ecclesia is different from the traditional institutional church in that it is void of the traditions carried forward by those within the church,  There are no tithes.  There are no boring Sunday sermons.  Jesus does not simply gather those who are most prominent among us, but all are indeed welcome in the church He is gathering.  In my time in the organized church, I came across those who felt guilty over missing a single Sunday or not being dressed well enough for the Lords day.  Jesus has done away with those requirements.  In fact, He has done away with many of the requirements which those within the church have imposed upon those who simply desired to worship Jesus {Paul to the Colossians 2:14}.  This is all about Jesus gathering all unto Him.  But what about those whose intent is not to worship Him, but to live the way they desire?  Won't Jesus judge them instead of gather them unto Himself?  Well, if you're into the broken theology of the mainstream church, you just might believe in that nonsense.  But we're told in the scriptures that Jesus has NOT come to judge the world, but that all the world will be saved THROUGH Him {Johns Account 3:16-17}.  

One of the best examples which I can give of the ecclesia which Jesus is drawing unto Himself is that of a group of gym goers which I have been associated with for some time.  Many of these have since become close friends of mine.  Not all of these are die hard Christians.  In fact, there are many who are either on the fence or have never considered knowing Jesus at all.  But I believe in my heart that they are being drawn into His ecclesia as I have been.  I'm no pastor, but I know that there are those in our group who take notice when I speak of the truth of our life within the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  The apostle Paul spoke to this truth in his evangel, proclaiming that he was no longer alive, but that Christ Jesus lives in him {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}.  This is the truth of our identity in Christ.  Again, this is something you probably will not hear spoken of in the traditional church.  But it is the underlying truth of our life in Christ.  There are many who will bristle at the mention of the concept of universal salvation, that belief that God intends to gather ALL mankind unto Him to be saved in His name.  But what about the wicked?  What of those who openly blaspheme God?  Seriously, if God should choose to save all of His children, who are we to dispute this?  When we argue that the guilty deserve eternal punishment in hell, then we take upon ourselves those titles of judge and jury.  What is it that Jesus spoke of those who judge others {Matthews Account 7:1-5}.  Therefore, if God so chooses that He would save all of His children, that is His desire.  I see the gathering of His ecclesia by Jesus as the fulfilling of this desire of the Lord.  To gather all of His children unto Himself.  The difference being, His church is not losing members.

In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you 

Johns Account 14: 20, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (House Of Cards) # 2131

 

And I hear another verse out of heaven, saying, "Come out of her, My people, lest you should be joint participants in her sins, and lest you should be getting of her calamities 

The unveiling of Jesus Christ 18: 4, Concordant New Testament 

A good friend of mine sent me an article this week detailing the seven reasons that people are leaving the modern church.  Having left the mainstream church years ago, this piece caught my interest.  I wanted to know if any of the reasons they came up with actually agreed with why it is that I left the church of my youth.  There were a few reasons which factored into my decision, but the real reason that I left the church was for theological differences.  I came to question the message which I has been receiving from those within the church.  I questioned how it is that the pastor of the church I had been attending for a good number of years could speak of the truth of our forgiveness of sins in the death of Christ Jesus one minute, and in the next proclaim that there was still unresolved sin within us.  To me it seemed like a zero sum game, what good was it to believe in the forgiveness we find in Jesus if sin still remains in us?  In my opinion, someone was not telling me the truth.  Either it was those within the church, or God had misled me all of those years.  Since I knew in my heart that God had never in my life lied or misled me, I decided that those in the church had lied to me.  Therefore, it was an easy decision for me to leave the organized church to seek the truth of the Lord on my own.  I have been fortunate, as the same friend who forwarded me this article is also the same friend who has spent years in the role of pastoral leadership within the church.  Dare I say that I have become closer to God in the years I've been absent from the church than I ever had while sitting in those pews every Sunday.  To me, that's a problem.  For I see the purpose of the church to not only lead people spiritually, but to guide them into the truth of our life within the Father.  This is a truth I've never heard spoken from any pastor in any church I've ever been in.  So, is it really truth if the church never speaks of it?  Or, do those in the church disagree with this truth and willfully choose not to speak it?  The truth of our life in the Father is not some radical new concept.  There are scriptural references to support it.  Yet when I attempt to speak of this truth to well meaning believers, I'm accused of cherry picking the scriptures to support my beliefs.  

The author J Preston Eby stirred something within me not too long ago when, in his Kingdom Bible series, he proclaimed that the scripture which we find in Revelation 18:4 was a direct command from the Lord to abandon the organized church.  One look at this passage and one could understand what Mr. Eby is referring to.  The article which my friend sent me is loaded with a number of reasons for which so many people are leaving the church.  From moral disagreements and issues with teachings to the conflicts and internal politics involved with the modern church.  Having spent a good deal of time in discussions with my friend, I'm well aware of the inner workings of the church he spent so many years leading.  Not only that, but I have witnessed the inner workings of this house of cards too many times myself.  The personal conflicts and the board room like atmosphere that personifies so many churches today.  It doesn't take long before those only interested in a closer walk with the Father say ENOUGH!  We're all aware of the disdain which Jesus had for the behavior of the scribes and Pharisees of His day {Matthews Account 23-33}.  I've always wondered, if Jesus were to confront those pastors of todays church, would we hear Him declare "Woe to you pastors?"  I believe that He would do just that.  The issues I have with the modern church involve their false teachings of the Lords children continuing to carry sin which Jesus has already forgiven with them.  This is the lie spoken by those within the church.  Now, do I believe that well meaning believers could continue in the church for the purpose of fellowship?  Absolutely.  But I also believe that the value of church attendance stops there.  I chose to abandon the house of cards years ago, and I've seen that I'm not alone in that decision. 

The God Who makes the world and all that is in it, He, the Lord inherent of heaven and earth, is not dwelling in temples made by hands, neither is He attended by human hands, as if requiring anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all.  Besides, He makes out of one every nation of mankind, to be dwelling on all the surface of the earth, specifying the setting of the seasons and the bounds of their dwelling, for them to be seeking God, if, consequently, they may surely grope for Him and be finding Him, though to be sure, not far from each one of us is He inherent, for in Him we are living and moving and are, as some poets of yours have also declared, 'For of that race we are.' 

Acts of the Apostles 17: 24-28, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Pornography Lie) # 2130

 

For even as the woman is out of the man, thus the manis also through the woman, yet all is of God 

Paul to the Corinthians (1) 11: 12, Concordant New Testament 

Anyone who has suffered through an addiction to pornography knows the lens through which we view those of the opposing sex.  We see them not as valued children of the Lord, but as objects for our own gratification.  I was reminded of this once again this week as someone I know made the mistake of thinking within the desires of his flesh and not in the truth of his own identity.  I get it, I've been there more times than I can count.  The very reason that the porn industry is so profitable is that it plays to our own desires.  I've never seen a pornography video that spoke to the reality of who we are in the Father.  What I have seen is the presentation of both women and men into objects of our desires.  When I speak of this, I know what the hell I'm talking about because I've been there.  When my friend approached me this past week telling me that he was intending to ask a certain young lady on a date, my first advice to him was DON'T.  Not because I didn't want him to have companionship, that wasn't the issue.  The fact that he is already married negates the issue of companionship.  No, I advised him not to go down that road because I already knew where it would lead him.  I've seen countless others, including my own father, make the mistake of seeking intimacy from another person.  It never ends well.  So it is with my friend, who has become the latest victim of the lie which is pornography.  The lie which tells us that we deserve to be satisfied.  the lie which tells us that we deserve to be rewarded with the companionship of another for the purposes of sexual intentions.  As a believer, I know in my heart that this is not what God has intended for His children.  

In the darkness of my own addiction, my only thought was of what I wanted.  How I needed to be satisfied.  Never were my thoughts about what the Father desired for me.  That's a problem.  For I see this behavior in my friend, and it makes me sad.  In my heart, I know that the path which he is on is not beneficial for him.  But he has chosen to believe in the lie I once found to be so attractive.  Yet the truth we have in the Father is so much better.  To live within His desires for us is a life lived the way it has been created to be from the beginning.  God did not create us in his own likeness that we would see others only as objects of our own desires {Genesis 1:27}.  When I look at someone who has been happily married to their spouse for a good number of years, I all too often see a happy union.  Yes, there are trying times with any marriage, but this is part of the growing process.  While I was in my addiction, I rarely saw a female as anything but someone to satisfy my own desires.  But I was a hypocrite, for whenever I saw someone engaging in that same behavior that I was, I immediately accused them of violating somebody's wife, child or daughter.  It took a good number of years until I finally realized the truth of the man that I was, and that I was seeing others in the wrong light.  For Gods creation are not simply the objects of my desire, but His loved children.  We cannot proclaim ourselves as His child and yet see others as simply put on this earth for our enjoyment, it doesn't work that way.  The truth of our life in the Father is that He has created us in his likeness, male and female {Genesis 5:2}.  It is the accuser who has spoken the lie that we can be our own individual self {Genesis 3:1-6}.  It is also the accuser who spoke to me that I deserved to be satisfied by another. 

Yet if they are not controlling themselves, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to be on fire

Paul to the Corinthians (1) 7: 9, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of the Father (Finding God) # 2129

 

And Lo!  The curtain of the temple is rent in two from above to the bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks are rent 

Matthews Account 27: 51, Concordant New Testament  

Up until the time of the death of Jesus, those who believed seemed to believe with certainty where God was.  The Jews of Jesus' day believed that God dwelled in the temple.  Not only that, but that He was to be approached only by the priests, the spiritual leaders of the people.  For inside the temple, in a place referred to as the "Holy of holies," there was a large curtain which separated the rest of the temple from the ark of the covenant of the Lord.  To venture beyond this curtain was prohibited, save for the chief priests on certain times of the year.  God separated from His children.  But the death of Jesus on the cross changed all of that.  For at the moment He took His final breath, that curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom.  Not by human hands, but by the Lord Himself.  I believe that this is Gods way of introducing Himself as Who He truly is to His creation.  This was not God tucked away in a box.  This is His creation living in His presence, no longer inhibited by the barriers created by man.  Yet listen to the words of far too many pastors today and you'd think that God is still living behind that veil in the temple.  They speak of mankind being separated from God as a result of their sin nature.  But what of the sacrifice of Jesus?  Upon His death, that veil in the temple was torn.  God was no longer hidden from His children.  Yet far too many people today seek the Lord in the wrong places. 

The words of Jesus tell us that God does not live behind a curtain, but that His children reside IN Him {Johns Account 14:20}.  This is the truth of our life in the Father.  The apostle Paul understood this relationship when he described himself as having died in Christ.  He was gone, only Jesus remains {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}.  But what of that sin issue?  What indeed.  Many who look for God are hit by the roadblock thrown up by those in the church that their sin separates us from God.  Noting could be further from the truth.  For if we are truly seeking God, we need only to look within.  Our understanding of who and where God is can often be tainted by the teachings of those within the mainstream church.  I have often referred to the separation theology spoken by the church as one of the great lies spoken by them.  For it has never been the Lords desire that we would be separated from His presence.  Indeed, how is it even possible that we who have been created in his likeness can ever be separated from him {Genesis 1:27}?  Are we to ignore the words of Jesus Who speaks to our union with the Father?  I think not.  Yet, whenever I speak of this truth of our life within the Father, many believers accuse me of cherry picking the scriptures to suit my narrative.  This coming from those who have built an entire religion upon the narrative that we remain sinners separated from God.  Who do you think is ignoring the truth of God?  For those who are earnestly seeking the Lord, my advice is always the same, look within.  For it is not in temples or monuments built up by man that God will make His home, but within those whom He has created. 

The God Who makes the world and all that is in it, He, the Lord of heaven and earth, is not dwelling in temples made by hands, neither is He attended by human hands, as if requiring anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all.

Acts of the Apostles 17: 24-25, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (Playing The Part) # 2128

 

For each one shall be bearing his own load 

Paul to the Galatians 6: 5, Concordant New Testament 

There are those people out there who consistently refuse to take accountability for their own actions.  Unfortunately, I was once again reminded of this truth this week,  Some people refer to this as having a victim mentality, where anything negative which happens to them has nothing to do with their wrong choices, but will take each and every opportunity to find an excuse for their own actions.  There are certainly many out there who play the part of the victim very well.  The apostle Paul, as he so often does in his evangel, speaks to those who would conduct themselves in such a way.  Paul speaks that "Each one shall be bearing his own load" {Paul to the Galatians 6:5}.  What is Paul referring to in this passage?  Well, I believe that he is referring to the truth that each of us will be having that responsibility for that which we do.  If this were not true, Jesus would not have had to die for our sakes.  For we were once found guilty for that which we had done.  We could not place the blame on others for our own sin.  Yet despite our guilt, the Father chose His love for us over that punishment for our sin.  This is why Jesus shed innocent blood on our behalf {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}.  Make no mistake, we needed to die, not Jesus.  We were the guilty ones.  Not by happenstance, bad luck or the meddling of others, the guilt was ours alone.  I think that it's safe to say that playing the victim doesn't carry too much weight with God.  For He knows our very thoughts and our heart {Jeremiah 17:10}.  God is not influenced by the victim mentality.  Nor should we be.  I believe that at the base of much of this victim nonsense is that far too many people are unaware of their true identity in the Lord.  Again, Paul speaks to this truth in his evangel.  Paul realized that he, his old nature, had been nailed to the cross at Christ's side.  What remains is Jesus {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}.  It has never been our circumstances or the actions of others which has defined us, but Jesus Himself.

I rarely differ with the apostle Paul on anything, but I would like to add to his passage he speaks in Galatians 6.  Paul speaks that "Each one shall bear his own load."  But never let this confuse you that we ourselves are our own separate self or being.  Those within the church are fond of teaching us that our sin has separated us from God.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  For there is nothing which could ever separate us from He Who created us {Genesis 1:27}.  The author Norman Grubb speaks to there being "No independent, self-operating self in the universe" {No Independent Self ~ Norman Grubb}.  The truth of who it is that we are is embedded in the truth that our life is not lived apart from God, but WITHIN Him.  Jesus Himself speaks to the truth of our life within the Father in the gospel of John {Johns Account 14:20}.  Now for the tough question, who is it that you're following?  Are you following your own desires, ignoring the truth of your true identity?  Or, are you hearing and following the leading of the Father in Whom you live?  Paul speaks to the truth of "walking in the spirit" {Paul to the Galatians 5:16}.  Not only that, for if we indeed follow the spirit of He in whom we now live, we will no longer fulfill the desires of the flesh.  How can we be a victim for following the lead of the Father within us?  Obviously we can't, and that's the entire point.  Yes, each of us will be bearing our own load, But I choose that yoke of Jesus {Matthews Account 11:28-30}.  

Now I am saying, walk in the spirit, and you should under no circumstances be consummating the lust of the flesh 

Paul to the Galatians 5: 16, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (No Way To Live) # 2127

 And we know and believe the love which God has in us.  God is love, and he who is remaining in love is remaining in God, and God is remaining in him 

First Epistle of John 4: 16, Concordant New Testament 

I have a friend who seldom has a conversation of the positive part of his life.  If you were to listen to him, you would think that his life was every bit as negative as he made it out to be.  Which is interesting considering that my friend confesses to be a Christian believer.  Now, there is no doubt that Jesus has proclaimed that in this life we are to have turmoil {Johns Account 16:33}.  However, Jesus also points out the truth of the fact that He Himself has overcome the world.  So, if Jesus has overcome this world, have not we who remain in Him done so as well?  What is it that the troubles of this world can do to we who are in Christ?  I have tried to impart the truth of Jesus to my friend that when he is in Christ, nothing about this world matters in who he is.  The apostle Paul speaks to the truth of our life in Jesus, that "To be living is Christ, and to be dying, gain" {Paul to the Philippians 1:21}.  Paul understood the truth of what it is to live life within the presence of God.  To be confident in knowing that we live AS Him.  Now, many in the church will point out that sinners cannot live within the presence of God, that our sin is a barrier to enjoying a life lived within Him.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  For Jesus has not given Himself as the "One not knowing sin" only that we should continue to suffer in this life {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}.  The truth of our life in Christ Jesus is that He has given Himself to that death of sin within us "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  That which once condemned us is no more {Paul to the Romans 6:6}.  This truth should give us the confidence we have of a life lived in Jesus, IF we know that truth within our hearts.  

I don't blame my friend for not grasping the truth of Christ in us as I have, for this is something which the church refuses to speak to.  In my time in the church, I never heard a pastor speak to the truth of Christ Jesus in me as I know today.  No, for I was a sinner deserving of condemnation.  This is the mindset by which my friend now lives his life.  He has been condemned, and he must live each day of his life as such, continually seeking Gods forgiveness.  Let me tell you, that's NO way to live!  A life lived in negativity will always come through in your interactions and relationships with others.  There is no way that you can express your joy of a life in Christ when you feel condemned by Him.  THAT, in my mind, is the key to the happiness of a life lived within Jesus.  This is why I can speak to my friend of the joy I have in Christ, because I live in the confidence of knowing that I am no longer condemned by Him.  That Jesus does not look upon me as a sinner deserving of punishment.  That debt has been paid in full.  What remains is my life lived within God {Johns Account 14:20}.  This is the reason for my happiness, I have overcome the world.  Whatever it is that I face in this life, I encounter it as Christ Jesus in Whom I now live.  How is knowing this truth not a joyful feeling?  I believe that the Father never intended us to live in the pain and sorrows of this world, but in the knowing of our life in Him.  This is true freedom in Christ Jesus.  Not concerned over whether or not there is some unforgiven sin which God continues to hold against us.  That's no way to live. 

For to me to be living is Christ, and to be dying, gain 

Paul to the Philippians 1: 21, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (A Thinking Problem) # 2126

 Yes I admit, I've got a thinking problem

She's always on my mind

Her memory goes round and round

I've tried to quit a thousand times

~Thinking Problem by David Ball (1994)~ 

This week I was once again reminded of the impact of that which I thought I had once left behind me.  A good friend confided in us that he was once again struggling with the evils of pornography.  He's not alone by any means.  I was once among those who struggled daily with the images of the female form for my own gratification.  According to the latest statistics, 11% of men and 3% of women in America have confessed to being addicted to pornography in some form.  But what of those who dabble in it and don't feel that they're addicted?  What about those numbers?  See, when I was struggling with porn there was a time when I felt that I didn't have an addiction at all.  I was merely doing "What guys do."  The funny thing about pornography as compared to other, more destructive addictions, is that it often takes a back seat to diseases like drug addiction and alcoholism.  It's like porn is the ugly cousin of these other hurtful problems so many face.  Yet I'm here to tell you from my own experience that the porn struggle is all too real for many people.  I've been there.  I might never have partaken of drugs, but I was addicted nonetheless.  I chose to fill my time with images which satisfied me if only temporarily.  Isn't that what drug addicts and alcoholics do, seek that temporary pleasure?  In some ways, pornography has been seen as simply a issue with the mind.  If I don't think about those images, I'll be fine.  Well, I'm here to tell you that the issue goes deeper than that.  I dare to say that it goes to the issue of who we truly are.  Or, in other words, who God sees when He looks upon us.

When it comes to recovery programs, typical drug addictions have more options than those of pornography.  There are systems in place to help those addicted to kick the chemical addiction.  What does pornography have?  I've known more than a few men who have gone through one church endorsed porn addiction seminar or another and come out on the other end still addicted to the flesh.  So, how is it, then, that I managed to stop the cycle of the thinking problem?  Well, part of it was Gods intervention while the other part has been my own realization of who I am in His eyes.  It all began one night as I once again waited to walk through the doors of another Portland strip club.  In that moment, I felt what I can only describe as a tugging at my spirit which told me "This is not who you are."  Whatever it was, it was enough for me to walk away that night.  It also began the journey which led me to discover who I truly was in Christ.  If I'm not "That" guy, then who am I?  Well, If I adhere to the words of the apostle Paul, I am the image of Christ Jesus Who lives in me {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}.  That old guy I once was, who the church told me that I am, is dead.  He was crucified on that cross alongside Jesus.  That guy was a sinner, and I'm not that guy anymore!  While the pornography addiction can be described an issue with the mind, knowing who we truly are in Christ is that renewing of our minds {Paul to the Romans 12:2}.  My journey to knowing my identity in Christ has not been easy, but it has been life changing for me.  Knowing that the Father does not look upon me as a sinner, but as His loved child {First Epistle of John 3:1}.  When we renew our minds, we stop seeing ourselves not as condemned sinners, but as living our life IN Him {Johns Account 14:20}.  For those who find themselves addicted to images of the flesh, I can assure you that this is not who you are. 

And not to be configured to this eon, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, for you to be testing what is the will of God, good and well pleasing and perfect. 

Paul to the Romans 12: 2, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Jesus Indoctrination) # 2125

 

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves, according as the custom of some is, but entreating, and so much rather as you are observing the day drawing near

To the Hebrews 10: 25, Concordant New Testament 

I have a few friends who engaged in a conversation this week of the decline of the mainstream church.  More specifically, the decline of the so called mega churches which seemed to once dominate the Christian faith.  I remember back in the day hearing of the services of Rick Warrens Saddleback church in Lake Forrest, California.  This church was held up as a prime example of a large, burgeoning congregation mega church.  However, recently some of the luster has vanished from that rose.  As with other large churches, Saddleback church has seen a dramatic decrease in the size of their once large congregation.  Why is that?  Well, I'll try to answer that by giving some of my own perspective on why I left the church I had attended for more than a few years.  This church was once healthy and vibrant, or so I thought.  I chose this church on the recommendation of a few friend that this was indeed a vibrant, God centered church.  I felt that at that point in my life that this is what I was needing.  Don't get me wrong, during my time in the church I developed more than a few friendships which I continue to enjoy today.  In fact, my two friends who entered into this conversation this week have been a part of my life ever since we met back in my church days.  So, why is it that I left the church?  Well, after a number of years spent gathering together every week, I noticed that more and more people who once were avid attendees were now choosing to leave this church for the greener pastures of other churches, while others were simply leaving because they no longer felt fulfilled in this congregation.  I was among the latter category.  I heard the sermons, but I didn't feel any closer to God than when I first walked in the doors of that building years before.  The final straw came one Easter morning when, after sitting through another sermon on how Jesus had died for my sins, the pastor proceeded to invite anyone who felt that they had sin to confess to step forward for prayer.  Like so many before me, I was done with the entire idea of church.

Anyone who has read these posts of mine for very long has noticed that I am more than a bit critical of the teachings and theology of the church.  I do this for good reason.  For I believe that it is the church which has misled countless believers astray from the truth we find not only in the scriptures, but in the evangel spoken by the apostle Paul as well.  Those within the church will insist and teach that sin has led to our separation from the Father Who created us.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  For the scripture speaks to the truth that we have not only been created in the very likeness of the Father {Genesis 1:27}, but that our life is IN Him {Johns Account 14:20}.  Paul speaks to the truth about sin in our life in that it is Christ Jesus Who has died to sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  I cannot recall ever hearing a pastor preaching on the truth that Jesus gave Himself for the sin we once carried, and that we are no longer burdened by that sin {Paul to the Romans 6:6}.  That it has never been sin which has separated us from God, but that He has always been an intimate part of who it is that we are.  This is why I consider this to be one of the lies spoken by the church.  For they speak of the separation between God and His children.  Again, the words of Paul give us an invitation into the truth of the Lord Jesus when he proclaims "We, who died to sin, how shall we still be living in it?" {Paul to the Romans 6:1-2}.  How indeed.  Do we negate the work of Jesus on the cross just to fit the narrative of man?  I'd say no to that one.  This is why when I hear of the decline in attendance in the church, I already know what the issue is, I've been there.  I'm encouraged in knowing that so many believers are venturing out to seek that relationship with God which they could never achieve in the halls of the church.  My prayer is that God will open their eyes and reveal the truth of a life lived in Him as He has with me.  

What, then, shall we declare?  That we may be persisting in sin that grace should be increasing?  May it not be coming to that!  We, who died to sin, how shall we still be living in it? 

Paul to the Romans 6: 1-2, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (I'm Not That Guy) # 2124

 

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 flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who lives me, and gives Himself up for me

Paul to the Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament 

I had someone tell me the other day that I was living a lie in my belief in the truth of Christ Jesus in me.  That in reality Jesus ascended into heaven and shall remain there until such time as He returns for His chosen people who have known Him.  I reminded him of the words spoken by the apostle Paul in his evangel, but this did little to sway his church influenced decision.  I do not put the blame for his view squarely on him, but also on those who have taught him the beliefs which he adheres to.  It's been said that there are no bad students, only bad teachers.  In this case that has proven to be true.  I was once like this man was, sitting through many a Sunday sermon where I was taught that God was a far off entity whose only concern was to watch over my life to see if I lived it the way in which He desired.  This has been among the teachings of the mainstream church for thousands of years.  One thing that I did tell my friend was that I'm not that guy anymore.  I'm not that guy whom the Lord still deems worthy of condemnation and punishment.  Through the word of Christ Jesus on the cross, the sin debt has been paid.  When the Father looks upon me, He no longer sees a sinner, but His loved child {First Epistle of Johns 3:1}.  It has never been the Fathers desire that He would be separated from His creation.  This is but one false teaching of the mainstream church.  Every time I have a discussion of the truth of Christ Jesus in me I see just how deep that the false teachings of the church have reached in the understanding of too many believers.  For they hold to the teachings of the church and not the truth we find in the scriptures.  I get it, I've been where they are.  But I'm not that guy anymore.

For whatever reason the Lord has chosen, the truth of His Son in me was not revealed to me until I had been out of the church for some time.  Until that point, I was well versed in the teachings and theology of the church.  I held fast to what I had been taught.  I did not question the words spoken by the pastors.  I recall the words of Paul, who himself was well versed in the teachings of the Jewish faith.  By his own admission, Paul was once a persecutor of the followers of Jesus and a strict follower of his faith {Acts of the Apostles 22:3-4}.  Then came the day where Saul was introduced to the One which he had been persecuting for so long.  It was only "When it delights God" that Paul was introduced to the truth of who he truly was {Paul to the Galatians 1:15-16}.  He wasn't that guy anymore.  What Paul discovered about himself and of his identity in Christ Jesus is documented within his evangel.  It is these words of Paul which also convinced me of my own identity in Christ.  I was not separated from God as a result of my own sin, for Jesus has already paid that debt in full.  What remains is Christ.  But was it Jesus Who restored my identity in the Lord?  Or, as I now believe, has He always been within me?  This begs the question, how is it that God could ever be separated from that which He has created?  Many Christians agree that we live in a fallen world, that the world itself is entrenched in sin.  Yet they also believe the truth that God created all that we see and that He continues to be a part of His creation.  The same is true for us.  It is not sin which has separated us from the Father, for He has always been a part of us.  

In Whom there is no Jew nor yet Greek, there is no slave nor yet free, there is no male and female, for you all are one in Christ Jesus

Paul to the Galatians 3: 28, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (First Love) # 2123

 

We are loving God, for He first loves us 

First Epistle of John 4: 19, Concordant New Testament 

A good friend of mine has been speaking to the truth of the concept of "Just Love" in recent conversations.  I am not too familiar with these talks as I have not been involved, but what I do know is that to love is something which Jesus Himself has called upon us to do {Johns Account 13:34}.  Jesus placed so much emphasis upon this concept of love that He described it as a "New Precept," other translations describe this as a new covenant.  Google describes a precept as "A general rule intended to regulate behavior."  So, it is Jesus Who has given unto us this new command, that we love one another.  Yes, this IS  the command given unto us by Christ Jesus.  However, it also may be one of the most difficult commands to follow.  How much love do we show to that person who has wronged us?  How much love do we show unto those we disagree with?  I'll echo the question my friend posed recently, is just love even possible?  Can we live in a world where love is rampant?  Is such a world even possible?  When I think of the truth given to us by Jesus to love one another I think of our first love.    I'm not talking of that first love of the opposing sex, but of He Who loved us first {First Epistle of John 4:19}.  It is God Who has demonstrated His own love for us that while we were yet sinners to dispatch His Son to die for us {Paul to the Romans 5:8}.  We were not the ones who first loved, that was the Father all the way.  Were it not for the love of the Father, where would we be?  Does God find it as difficult to love as we do?  Not at all.  After all, the one true nature of the Father IS love {First Epistle of John 4:8}.  If we heed the words of the apostle John, if we fail to love, we "Knew not God."  Some might scoff at this, but I believe that it is indeed true.  For to love is from God.  

I can personally attest to the fact that to love is no easy task.  There have been many times that I have been wronged, cheated and mistreated.  Do you think that my first response to these instances was to "Just Love?"  But I will also be the first to admit that in these instances that I was not seeing my situation through the Fathers eyes.  I was not looking upon the other person as God looks upon them.  How is it that I can see Gods loved child in someone who mistreats me?  Yet this is how God sees each and every one of us {Paul to the Romans 8:16}.  Some will make the false claim that only those who have accepted Christ Jesus have the right to be called children of God, but I believe that this is in error.  For we have been created in His likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  It is God Who also loved us enough to give unto us the breath of life {Genesis 2:7}.  It is God Who, through His love, created all who we are.  We are indeed His offspring {Acts of the Apostles 17:28}.  So it is that we are His beloved children.  Knowing this, can we look upon others as God sees them?  Can we just love, as God has?  Some might say that this is more easier said than done.  Those within the church might ask, what about those sinners among us?  Well, what did God do with we who were once sinners?  Simple, while we were yet sinners, God dispatched His Son to die in our place.  God chose to love.  This is the same choice that we as His children are faced with.  Do we choose to just love?  

Yet God is commending this love of His to us, seeing that, while we are still sinners, Christ died for our sakes

Paul to the Romans 5: 8, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (Defenders Of The Faith) # 2122

 

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are of God, for many false prophets have come out into the world 

First Epistle of John 4: 1, Concordant New Testament 

I added a new word in my lexicon this week.  That word is dogmatic.  People have used the world dogmatic to describe a sector of those Christian believers who hold fast to the beliefs and traditions of their faith.  Google defines dogmatic as "Inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true."  Those who are dogmatic tend to speak their belief as the one truth while ignoring the input of others.  They hold tight to the scriptures they know will support their argument, of which they involve themselves in many.  I would be inclined to describe Christianity as we know it as a religion prone to dogmatic practices.  Those within the church all too often preach the practices which their defenders of the faith adhere to.  Recently I have had the opportunity of experiencing the dogmatic defenders of the faith first hand.  I have a gym friend who clings to his scripture and church taught beliefs as if they were chained to his feet.  There is no discussion about a differing view of scripture or Christian author.  There is no room for the grace and mercy of the Father when it comes to wrong behaviors.  In his eyes, the wicked shall be punished with an  eternity in hell.  He will back up his belief with carefully screened passages from the bible to make his case.  Those who have not accepted Christ into their hearts will also be among those banished to the hell created for Satan and his followers.  Seeing as Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life, He is our access to the Father {Johns Account 14:6}.  Think you're a child of God as the scriptures tell us?  Not so fast!  In the eyes of the dogmatic believer, only those who have accepted Jesus are worthy of being children of God.  As you can see, there is little room for the love and mercy of God in the minds of the dogmatic believer.  For them everything is cut and dry and laid out in front of them.  The good will be rewarded and the guilty punished, end of story.  

In one of my one sided discussions with my friend the other day I asked him a simple question which he has yet to answer, what is it like for you to live in the freedom of Christ?  I believe that he cannot answer this because he has yet to experience the joy we have in living in the freedom of Christ Jesus.  This is the freedom I did not began to experience until I was away from the church for some time.  The Jesus which I now know is not the Jesus which was spoken to me while I was active in the church.  For the church has made a habit of not speaking to a closer relationship with Christ.  Sure, they may mention and gloss over it, but they never speak to that joy of truly living in the presence of God.  Jesus speaks to our own life lived in the Father in the book of John {Johns Account 14:20}.  To the dogmatic believer, the mere mention of scripture such as this and we're accused of cherry picking the scriptures to suit our blasphemous narrative.  The pot calling the kettle black.  Some of the most dogmatic people in history were the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus' day.  They burdened the people with the traditions and requirements of their religion.  This is why Jesus stood before them on that day and proclaimed His "Woes to the Pharisees" {Matthews Account 23:1-33}.  I've often wondered, if Jesus were to confront the pastors of today, would we see His "Woe to you pastors?"  Something tells me that more than a few dogmatic believers would be critical of Him for doing just that. 

For the era will be when they will not tolerate sound teaching, but, their hearing being tickled, will heap up for themselves teachers in accord with their own desires 

Paul to Timmothy (2) 4: 3, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (One Saved All) # 2121

 

For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified 

Paul to the Corinthians (1) 15: 22, Concordant New Testament 

I have a gym friend who, despite having been told that I am a believer, has taken it upon himself to try to convert me to Christianity.  There are times that I feel that I am wearing a shirt with the words "I'm a sinner, please convert me" written upon it.  I get it.  Back in my church days, I would take each and every opportunity not to proclaim the good news of Jesus, but the requirements one needed to do in order to get into heaven.  This is what I have been hearing for some time now.  Perhaps the Lord is gently reminding me of what I used to sound like to others?  Whatever the case, it seems that I am in need of being converted all over again into the Christian religion.  One of the requirements of going to heaven is that we realize that our life is filled with sin and that we need Gods continual forgiveness.  The truth is that this is what our identity once was back in the day.  However, is it through the death of Christ Jesus on the cross as the propitiation for our sin that we are no longer suffering the burdens of sin {First Epistle of John 2:2}.  That's right, our sin debt has been paid in full.  My gym friend will get all twisted into knots whenever I mention the desire of the Lord that all be saved {Paul to Timothy (1) 2:4}.  In his view, all continue to be guilty of that sin which Christ Jesus bled and died to forgive.  I believe that those who continue in this church driven belief are ignoring the reason for His death.  Not simply that we would be forgiven that which was against us, but that sin itself would be defeated {Paul to the Romans 6:11}.  The truth we have in the sacrifice of Christ is that ALL shall be made alive {Paul to the Corinthians (1) 15:22}.  Most refer to this truth as universal salvation, and the mainstream church pretty much considers it to be blasphemy when spoken of.

One of the precedents of Christian belief is that we have been created in the Fathers likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  That we are indeed His children {First Epistle of John 3:2}.  Therefore, is it beyond the Father to desire that all of His children be saved?  Is it even possible that all have been saved and it just has not been revealed to them?  Yes!  One thing I know is that all things are possible with God {Mathews Account 19:26}.  Man may consider something to be impossible, yet the Father deems it possible.  Is it therefore possible that man considers the need that others be judged for their sin, but that God assures them that their sins have been forgiven?  Is it even possible that the entire church driven narrative that hell is the eternal punishment for sin is not what the Father has in store for us?  Remember, with God all things are possible.  Is it even our domain to condemn anyone to hell?  Or, is this the domain of the Father Who created us?  Jesus has spoken that we "Do not judge, lest you may be judged" {Matthews Account 7:1-5}.  Yet many in the church continue to proclaim the Lords children guilty of that which Christ Jesus has already given His life for {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}.  The same church which celebrates the forgiveness of sin through the sacrifice of Jesus is the same church which condemns others to hell for the sin Jesus has already forgiven us.  This is one of the main reasons I believe in the truth which others refer to as universal salvation.  Because with God, all things are possible.  

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and losing one of them, is not leaving the ninety-nine in the wilderness and is going after the lost one, till he may be finding it?  And finding it, he is placing it on his shoulders, rejoicing." 

Lukes Account 15: 4-5, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~