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Christianity was supposed to be about becoming like Jesus. | |
We went in the wrong direction. |
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The Mystery of Godliness
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| To even understand godliness, we need to have some idea of what God is. 1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we see light as proceeding from a source, illuminating. giving warmth, and providing life sustaining energy, we can see complete giving. The “darkness” of taking in not needed with light. We might conclude that godliness would be the human transition from our natural selfishness (taking) to the God-like action of selfless love (giving). The mechanism whereby humans could transition from selfishness to selfless godliness would certainly seem to be mysterious. 1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. It was prophesied to the nation of Israel that their Messiah would be put to death. However, it was not revealed (kept a mystery) that by this death, the world would be purchased back and a mechanism instituted for people to have their sins forgiven. The reason this was not revealed was that Satan would never have put Jesus to death if he knew that in doing so he would lose his own control over the earth. In addition to purchasing the earth back, the death burial and resurrection of Jesus allowed for us to be “bought” back as well. It is by being placed in Christ through faith that we have to opportunity to exchange our old selfish (taking) nature with that of Christ (Godly). This process starts after faith with the choice to walk by the Spirit instead of after the flesh. The more mature a Christian becomes, the less concerned he is about his own interests. 2Co 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Godliness is seeking the best for others. Adam and Eve chose to walk away from God. Yes, they were tricked, but they still charted their own course. As a result of what Jesus did on the cross, we have the opportunity to return to our creator. Parenthood can give us a glimpse into a life lived for others. It is this life to which we are called to return. Some abandon the selfish life because of the pain it causes. Some because a life lived for self is a hunger that is never satisfied. Others tire of the delusion and deception needed to cloak selfishness from truth. There are certain conditions that impose a type of slavery on us. Seeking self-stimulation, feelings, pleasures, and desires can keep us enslaved as much as being blind to truth. True freedom lies in being able to escape the prison of self. |
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Information about Christianity and the Christian life. |
Pictures and views of our farm | Some of our animals | See some of the old-fashioned crafts we are trying to relearn | ||