Many of us are fortunate to live in countries where being thrown into prison for our beliefs is not a concern. Many others live in places where imprisonment is a constant risk. If you are interested in gaining perspective on this point, I recommend that you visit The Voice of the Martyrs at https://www.persecution.com.
It’s not so much about trying to determine which of the seven churches is most like our own. Rather, it’s about hearing the way the Lord Jesus is with His Church. It’s about listening to how intimately He knows those who are His. It’s about heeding the admonitions He gives and noticing the things He considers important. It’s about finding reassurance that He loves His bride, that He is faithful, and that our reward is secure.
Holy Spirit has told us through the Apostle John that God is Love. While He lived on earth, Jesus was often “moved with compassion.” He also called Holy Spirit “the Comforter” and “Helper.” None of these attributes of God is consistent with Him vomiting out His children because they fail to perform at an acceptable level—whatever that would be.
We find this situation throughout the various institutional churches today. There are many believers in such churches, but there are also many who rely upon religious self-effort. This sort of “virtue signaling” has no life in it.
Some have called this “the upside-down Kingdom”, but it is more accurate to say that we live in an upside-down world. The Kingdom of God is right-side up.
You are not what you were. The change is profound, and it is real. Your life is no longer impermanent.
The head is never separated from the body. The cornerstone is never displaced from the building. If either of these things were to happen, life and building would cease. The Lord Jesus is preeminent. He is the head, but not in the way of the world which makes the preeminent into dictators, tyrants, and oppressors.
The Lord Jesus is seated at the right hand of God in the heavenly realm. This seat of power is, we are told, “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.” Far above. ALL. And we are in Christ. Where He is, there we are.
Looking with physical eyes, we are prone to judging by appearance. This is true whether we are speaking of other people or of the Lord Jesus Himself. Seeing in this way gives us only the earthly perspective of the flesh. But there is a better way, a higher way, a more excellent way.
Paul is careful in several places to point out the faith and love of the believers in the fellowships to which he writes. This is very significant. It would seem that Holy Spirit wants to ensure that we are reminded that it is faith which pleases God. It is dependent living borne of trust that He is our Life.
Though man-made organized religion continues trying to force theocratic government and “conversion” from other religions, force and coercion are not the answer to immorality and idolatry.
What Paul is doing here is helping us see the sort of conduct that best fits us as children of God. He’s telling us what kind of behavior will result in the best outcomes for us.
It’s not regrettable salvation, it’s regrettable sin. The good news is that sorrow over that led to true repentance and that yielded salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thoughts on Mark 1:41
In this verse nearly all Bible translations say that Jesus was moved with compassion. The NIV, however, says that Jesus was indignant. Having reviewed over a dozen translations, NIV appears to be alone in this rendering.
No one can curse those whom God has blessed. The Lord Jesus gave Himself up for us to present us as His spotless bride. We are blessed of God and no curse is possible.
When we fall into performance patterns instead of depending on Him, our love for others is an expression of the flesh rather than of Christ.
We Do not have an absent, abusive, petty, or neglectful Father God is clear that He knows what is best for us. If we are honest, we know this. The Lord is faithful and trustworthy, He is Love and there is no evil in Him. Knowing all this, we can look forward to His reproof, correction, and discipline.
One thing will be clear in the end. The Lord Jesus wants the very best for His bride. As we read in Ephesians 5:25–27, Christ “loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”
Sardis helps us see that the Lord sees everything as it is. He sees “the good, the bad, and the ugly.” Paradoxically, because this is true, we who are in Christ by faith can take great comfort. How so? Knowing that the Lord God is not faking Himself out, but sees everything as it truly is, we can trust Him when He calls us holy, blameless, and beyond reproach (Colossians 1:22, Philippians 2:15b).
The deeds, or works, God values are those done by faith in Him, not those done by our attempts to merit His favor.
The Spirit of God, the self-same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead (see Romans 8:11), has been given to us as a down-payment, or deposit in earnest, guaranteeing our inheritance.
A word, if I may, about “dispensation.”
God has predestinated that all who are in Christ will be saved. He has not only included the chosen Hebrew people, but He has included the outcast Gentile people who had been without hope and without God in the world. This is the grand mystery.
He has placed His Spirit within us. It is in this way that He has abounded toward us, or lavished upon us, these tremendous blessings. He has given us Himself!
Can’t you almost hear your heart leaping for joy at this incomprehensible truth? Saints, we are forgiven completely.
