Far Below

"Jesus could only do what He came to do because He was sinless, because He was God made flesh, and because the Holy Spirit was upon Him without measure."

HATE IS NOT the answer. Violence never solves the problem. Jesus didn’t ride in as a conqueror, with a heavenly army to do battle with Rome. This was what was expected. God didn’t want to rule slaves. He set Israel free from Egypt and mankind free from sin if we’ll believe it.

Hosanna was for the man on a donkey who came to die a horrible death, without argument or defense or retribution. He learned to be king by submission, humbleness, and obedience. To the Father, on whose behalf He surrendered. As the Son, who would inherit the kingdom. With the Spirit, who “nasa”, would “lift up” and “carry off” the weight of all sin (Isaiah 53:4). Jesus could only do what He came to do because He was sinless, because He was God made flesh, and because the Holy Spirit was upon Him without measure (John 3:34).

God did not save the world with a sword. He died and then one pierced His side. He asks us to be like Him.

“Whoever loves other Christians is living in the light. He never causes other Christians to sin.” (1 John 2:10 EasyEnglish)

“We do not use human weapons to fight God’s war.” (2 Corinthians 10:4, EasyEnglish)

While we battle and fight, splitting into factions, political parties, and denominations, we read “love one another” (John 13:34) and “unity” in the Scriptures. We seek revival … we beg for revival … when between Paul’s talk of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit (which some call “gifts”) in 1 Corinthians 12, and His description of the purpose of prophecy in chapter 14, is chapter 13 on the love of God. Very bluntly, it says, you can have all these things—prophecies, moves of the Spirit, be called to ministry offices; you can speak in God’s heavenly language and have so much trust in God you can move mountains, but without love as evidenced in verses 4-8, being patient and kind, not envious or boastful, not resentful, greedy, or proud, you are just a lot of noise.

We’d rather justify our comments. If people nod, then it’s okay. No, what does God think? Here’s another question. What is sin?

Because video games are not sin. Tattoos are not sin. Women in the pulpit is not a sin. Being Jewish is not a sin. Nor a ticket to hell. Eclectic tastes in music genres is not a sin. Not being baptized is not a sin. Not attending a church is not a sin. And mental deficiencies at death do not make you damned. Yet the Spirit told me “no marriage seminars” because they introduce lust. And the apostle Paul’s words about the husband being the head of the wife does hold weight (Ephesians 5:23).

Our criticisms in the pulpit are sin. Calling people out by name to openly speak against them is a sin. The Word says, Love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8. Which verse, in itself, highlights most other behaviors I could list here. Nothing should be done because “we’re better than someone else.” Nothing should be said which is meant to embarrass someone else, down to even their wrong beliefs and foods they eat (Romans 14). Jesus ate with sinners and died for hypocrites. We are, none of us, better than Him.

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:34)

None of these words would be needed if you’d met Him. In my darkest hour, He spoke, and I could not believe that was Jesus. He was far too down-to-earth than what I’d been taught made the King of Kings. But darkness I knew, and His Voice was far, far louder and overflowing with joy and laughter and an ocean of love that has no shoreline and no bottom.

We are not in a war with the devil. We are far too willing to create one and use the conflict against others. Jesus settled everything in His death and rose from the grave with all of hell beneath His feet.

Look down, Christian.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:” (Ephesians 1:3)

“All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.” (Ephesians 1:20-23, MSG)

Photo by Leo Sun on Unsplash


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com