"I am amazed that you can so easily be fooled into swapping the Gospel for a gimmick! The Gospel reveals the integrity of your original identity rescued in Christ; the gimmick is a conglomeration of grace and legalism. A mixture boils down to a do-it-yourself plan of salvation. (Which is a recipe for disaster.)" Gal. 1:6 (Mirror Translation)
Anyone trained to do so, can gather evidence about another group, person or people, and present that evidence like a prosecutor in front of a jury, expecting to identify those people with their crime. There's not a problem with this if you're a "free agent" (a person who does not have any commitments that restrict their actions), but to the ones who Christ is coming in the flesh (1 Jn 4:1-3) it's contrary to His nature to put people "in" captivity, which comes from thinking more highly of ourself than others. It's also rooted in proving someone else is wrong (as opposed to showing what's right), like the Pharisees and Sadducees, who knew the letter of The Word but not The Message (within Jesus, The Word made flesh). The Spirit gives Life (1 Cor. 8:1).
When we reject His Life, we set ourselves above God, but the sad irony is, by faith in Him lowering Himself to be with us (Son of Man and also Son of God, Jesus), you were already seated with Him (Eph 2:6,7). Being seated "WITH" Him is not enough for sin, which seeks to be seated "INSTEAD" of Him. Sin seeks possessive power rather than the power that flows through us as a result of surrender to The King and His Acceptance of us (me). Sin is always rooted in fear (self- preservation or sacrificial) even though it may be presented as a trumpeting rally cry for troops.
The tears that flow down my cheeks lately, typically come from my own lack of faith, when I survey His Body. I see so few of us actually embrace how clean Jesus's death, burial and resurrection made us that I'm a lot like Gideon, wondering How God will pull this off. There is no reason for me to point out your faults (I confess for looking at you wrongly!) except in building you up. Being out of tune with God, we see each other's faults (2 Cor. 5:16) without offering hope in Christ. Why would we regard each other after the flesh anyway? Christ has dealt with all hindrances to Him. I repent unto the Kingdom of God. Go with me. My door is open; I desire for you to trust and obey with me. Christ is coming in my flesh (1 Jn 4:2) and I long to see Him formed in you, as well.
"Now the decisive conclusion is this: in Christ, every bit of condemning evidence against us is cancelled." ~ Rom 8:1 (Mirror Translation)
I'd be remis if I didn't share my train of thought that got me here. Today, there's a total eclipse crossing America and the last few days, my attention has went toward Acts 1.
When I first recognized God's calling on me, He showed me how Christ's return would look. He used the Galation passage where men of Galilee were standing, gazing at the sky. A cloud received Jesus, out of their sight. Two men stood by them in white saying, "men (of Galilee), why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven."
What is He saying? The clouds will be removed from your eyes to see Him and be with Him. "...then shall I know even as also I am known." (1 Cor. 13:12). His appearing is IN you. I'm not arguing about what happens later. If there's an argument from me it's about what God's original intent is for creating you! My point is that He didn't die for the world, only to have us share to others in the second person. In you, if you believe, is not two spirits (your spirit and His Spirit). There's His Spirit only, so the more you abide (rest in) in Him, it's literally Him they're seeing in your frame, through your unique personality, size, color and quirkiness. He is with you now.
While everyone is starring at the eclipse, stare directly into my eyes and you'll see The Son. Believe, and look in a mirror. You're looking at Him staring back at you.
We are one in Him, your servant,
David
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