Saturday, September 4, 2010

The Complete Message Of The Cross Repost

The following is another chapter from [Bittersweet Refinements].  Since each part is connected to the rest, it would do you well to keep reading (and listening for our Heavenly Father's explanations, of course).

The Complete Message Of The Cross

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [Romans 5:6-8 NAS]

Be assured that the complete message of the cross has as much to do with our Heavenly Father proving Himself worthy of receiving all of our love and trust as it does with saving us from eternal damnation.  For instead of just saying that He loves us enough to die for us, He went ahead and did it by sending a full and equal part of Himself to suffer and die upon a cruel, cruel Roman cross at Calvary so that all who would but believe in His only begotten Son, who truly is the Lord Jesus Christ, could spend all of eternity with Him in His Kingdom of Heaven as heirs to all that is His in glory[1].

No, this is not meant to encourage a departure from what has been so widely taught about the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ[2].  MAY IT NEVER BE!!!  For we are all[3] in need of a Savior[4], and it is only through Him that we can come to our Heavenly Father[5].

In fact, the entire passage associated with Romans 5:6-8 reinforces this.  For it is written: Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.  And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. [Romans 5:1-11 NAS]

Nonetheless, accepting Christ Jesus as our own personal Lord and Savior is like getting married[6].  Then comes the marriage itself[7], and it is in respect to this that what far too many have been led to believe falls woefully short of being most satisfying to Him—to say the least.  For it is written: “My people are fools; they do not know me.  They are senseless children; they have no understanding.  They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good.” [Jeremiah 4:22 NIV]

No, this is not about what is good enough for us.  For knowing that He paid the price the full that was required to redeem us from having to pay for all of our own sins ourselves[8], and that we have eternal Spiritual life in Him[9], should be more than enough for any from amongst us[10].

This is about what our Heavenly Father ultimately wants.  For it is not until it can be fully accepted that He is fully responsible for ALL that happens in this world that the kind of love that we can give Him reaches the level of satisfaction that He has always desired[11].

No, that is not beyond our comprehension.  For would it not take a very special kind of love to want to stay married to someone who just stood by and watched while you were being brutalized when they could have prevented it from happening in the first place?

What if the attack was upon one of your children, and how much more is our Heavenly Father able to keep us all free from harm[12]?  Yet, it is widely taught that He has nothing to do with the pain and sufferings of this world[13].

No, it should not be thought that our Heavenly Father must be immune to suffering Himself.  For He takes everything oh so very personally[14], and when Christ Jesus had to actually spiritually die in order to truly fulfill the requirement of His Law[15], thus separating Himself from His Heavenly Father and His Holy Spirit[16], they were all in more agony than what we can even start to naturally comprehend[17]—albeit only for the brief amount of time that it was[18].

Yes, it certainly looks like a very bitter pill to swallow at first, but it should not stay that way[19].  For it should be of great comfort to know and understand that all of the bad in this world is for our ultimate good[20], and that our Heavenly Father will spend all of eternity pouring out His gratitude upon all who were willing to give Him the full benefit of their considerable doubts[21].

{1}John 3:16-21; {2}Ephesians 2:8-10; {3}Romans 3:23; {4}Romans 6:23; {5}John 14:6; {6}Ephesians 5:22-32; {7}Luke 9:23-26; {8}Hebrews 10:14-18; {9}John 6:37-40; {10}Psalms 103:8-18; {11}Isaiah 45:5-10; {12}Job 12:13-25; {13}2 Timothy 4:2-4; {14}John 11:1-44; {15}Leviticus 5:17-19; {16}Ezekiel 18:4; {17}Matthew 27:45-50; {18}Luke 23:44-46; {19}1 Corinthians 2:6-16; {20}Romans 8:28-29; {21}Romans 8:18-25.
 
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4 comments:

  1. "our Heavenly Father will spend all of eternity pouring out His gratitude upon all who were willing to give Him the full benefit of their considerable doubts[21]."

    that says it all in my opinion

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  2. There are two kinds of people. Those who: Earnestly Desire, Look For, and Believe In, that which is inherently good... and those who: Doubt It, Fear It, and Refute It, out of their own wicked desires. Ultimately only one side can win and the tide of battle turned at the cross!

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  3. Thanks for stopping by again, my dear Ann!!! Yes, and it is just the opposite of what we have been so strongly encouraged to believe. For the way it has been taught, our time in this world is meant to give us opportunities to prove ourselves worthy of His favor. Whereas, the absolute truth of the matter truly is that it is actually our Heavenly Father who has been proving Himself to us.

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  4. Thanks for stopping by, my dear True Believer!!! Well, the outcome of the battle has never been in doubt, and the sacrifice of His only begotten Son upon that cruel, cruel Roman cross served as visible proof for all to see of just how much He really does love us. For instead of just saying that He loves us enough to die for us--He went ahead and actually did it!

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