The Changing Face of Christianity
A must read from a friend of mine
Shift happens!
It has always happened… and it’s happening now. This current shift / change is not your average garden variety, though. It is an epic change from one Biblical age to the next age. Sound too grandiose? Listen to what the Bible says about this:
“… that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” – Eph 2:7
According to this verse, there must be at least two more ages beyond the age in which the book of Ephesians was written. And so, even if you don’t think it’s probable, it’s still possible to have an age shift in our day.
So what are the hallmarks at the transition of ages?
I believe a change of ages always involves a radical shift from what God was doing… to what His new order of things. For…
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Religion started in the garden and it ain’t a good thing…
We’ve all heard the story of Adam and Eve in the garden. I have wrote on this previously but numerous people have brought it up this past week so I thought I would revisit it.
Adam walked with God. He (and Eve as well) were made in God’s image. They walked upright face to face with their creator.
Genesis 1
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,a and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
27 So God created mankind in his own image,in the image of God he created them;male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
So if I get this right, man was ruler of this domain we call our world. He was walking with God, relating with God…. so what else could he have had?
Enter the snake. …
The devil slithers in in the body of a snake (bunny trail, anyone else notice a talking snake! ?!) and says to Eve “if you eat of this tree you will be like God.”
Lie number 1, 2, 3, and 4 all at once!
1. You can be like God if…
2. God wants to keep you below Him
3. You are not like Him
4. If you work at this and do _____ you can become like Him
By eating the apple they put mankind under the law.
In the Bible the law is is based off a set of commandments or rules. In a sense this was a legal contract. It required action on mankind to meet the standard.
The law was unattainable, the only man who was able to meet the law was Jesus.
What is religion?
Religion;
re = to bind,
ligion = along the lines of legal or legislation
So to be bound up by the law (legalism).
A set of religious beliefs to adhere to or be controlled by.
Religion is a man made plan to (by works) attain a place or favor with/before God. It is impossible to do so!
If I could attain righteousness on my own the cross wouldn’t have had to happen. ..
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What if…
What if? I have learned a lot about looking at churches and people. Don’t!
There is a God that has already provided the breakthrough. He had a plan and finished that plan prior to Genesis. He completed his work and has been resting ever since. He asks us to enter His rest as well. That is all. He (being outside of time) planned the fall, the cross, the redemption, and the grace for it all to happen. Adam’s fall was not a mistake. I have or am entering into the realization of this and it is beyond liberating and captivating. I also have gotten beyond looking to a person or group to speak my past, present, or future identity. My bi-polar Christianity is a thing of the past. The only view God will ever have of me is that of forgiven, holy, pure…. this has set my spirit free.
Romans 8:1
Therefore there is now no more condemnation fir sin for those who are (found) in Christ Jesus.
Or
Now the decisive conclusion is this: every bit of condemning evidence against us is canceled. My identity is (and can only be) found in Him.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18
The Lord and the Spirit are one; his Lordship sanctions our freedom. A freedom from rules chiseled in stone to the voice of our redeemed design echoing in our hearts! The days of window-shopping are over! In him every face is unveiled. In gazing with wonder at the blueprint likeness of God displayed in human form, we suddenly realize that we are looking at ourselves! Every feature of his image is mirrored in us! This is the most radical transformation engineered by the Spirit of the Lord; we are lead from an inferior mindset to the revealed endorsement of our authentic identity. Mankind is his glory!
I look back at all the years I looked to people to tell me who I was. I look back at all the years I strove to try to attain a footing before God. The years (30+) where my bipolar relationship with God was based on my works. Looking in a mirror shows not the past or the future but what is in front of it at that exact moment. “Every feature of his image is mirrored in us!” We were made in his image. I am complete in him NOW. We can believe that by praying over our food it is sanctified immediately. We believe that if we pray and accept Christ we are saved on the spot. Why do we continue to think that our sanctification, our justification, or or righteousness has to be a long drawn out process. If I can believe for food to be sanctified immediately why not people?
Romans 6:10-11
His appointment with death was once-off. As far as sin is concerned, he is dead. The reason for his death was to take away the sin of the world; his life now exhibits our union with the life of God.
This reasoning is equally relevant to you. Calculate the cross; there can only be one logical conclusion: he died your death; that means you died unto sin, and now live unto God. Sin-consciousness can never again feature in your future! You are in Christ Jesus; his lordship is the authority of this union.
He doesn’t have to be crucified again every time someone sins. He died once for all sins. He forgave them all one time never to look back at them or see them again. He only sees man forgiven (forever and ever). That is his only view of you! To be found in him is the key here. Looking at Romans 3:18 we are found in him because he is found in us. Man is made in his image we are the only being compatible for him to be in. His image is our identity. He is my identity. I am his address. He is my blueprint.
“What’s true of him, is true of you.”
Martyn Lloyd Jones
“He is the I am in you.”
Francois Du Toit
“He’s not an example for you but of you.”
Uknown
Through the work of the cross we were given our original identity back, the curse of the law was broken. We were co-crucified, co-buried, co-resurrected, and given the free gift if our redeemed innocence. We can do nothing to attain it, it is a gift freely given. Enter into his rest.
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Plyers and cell phones
I have heard these two analogies numerous times, as I was mowing the lawn on Labor Day I was thinking about them and going over them in my head.
Plyers:
A man was given a plyers, but over time he started to use it as if it were a hammer. He used it clumsily to pound nails and beat tgings into alignment. The plyers, even though it was used like a hammer never became a hammer. It’s identity was still that of a plyer. It’s owner may be confused but that confusion does not change the plyers original design. The blueprint that it was cast to meet the standards for a plyers was and forever will be its design. Its purpose and design was cast prior to its creation.
Cell phones:
If you owned a cell phone and had it stolen from you, who is the owner? The thief never actually owns it. He may have it but it is never actually his. Youbare the rightful owner. No matter hiw much the thief tries to pretend it is his, he will never have a legal claim to it.
Take these two analogies and think about them and how they relate to you. What is your original identity? What did yor original blueprint show? Who do you say you are? Are you a son/daughter of God made in his image? Genesis 1:26 says you were created in his image before the foundation of stuff. He is your identity. He is your creator and father.
You are not just a number, you are unique and memorable to God. You are a son or a daughter. He has set you up as his address made in his image. You are the only vessel that is compatible for him to dwell in. You are incomparably welcome to be a part of him.
We don’t have to generate our value. We are already defined and given value. We are compared to a pearl of great worth.
Ask yourself daily, am I a plyer who has chosen to be deluded into thinking you are a hammer? If so you might be banging yourself up way more thsn you ought to be…
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Deconstruction of working
“The cardinal error into which many tend to fall is to think of ourselves as Christians in terms of our believing and our holding on, instead of looking at ourselves in the way in which Scripture always presents the position to us… There has been so much emphasis upon decision, receiving, yielding, being willing, and giving ourselves that salvation is regarded almost exclusively in terms of our activity… Many are in trouble simply because they do not realize the truth concerning the new birth… Nothing is more glorious than the doctrine of the rebirth; and this is obviously the work of God in us through the Spirit. We do not give birth to ourselves, we are not reborn because we believe. We believe because we are reborn.” Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Romans – The Perseverance Of The Saints)
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Christianity cannot be bought through works or doing. Man cannot on any effort of his own do anything to acquire salvation, sanctification, righteousness, forgiveness, etc. They are all freely given. They were given by God pre-Genesis. Provision has already happened. The faith to enter into His rest has already been gifted. Enter his rest.
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De Welling
The longer you dwell on the past, the less future you have to enjoy, and the harder it is live your present…
Considering God only sees eternity and he (before the earth was formed) created, formed, and sees you forgiven from that moment. Why do we torture ourselves with self condemnation? Cuz he sure doesn’t.
Once you start to realize the purity, love, and righteousness that God is, you will finally start to see your identity.
Jesus is not a example for you, but of you.
What’s true of Him is true of you.
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Did not require a plan “B”
The fall was not a mistake, was part of the plan, the law was necessary to show that man needed God. If man was able to succeed and attain position before God on mans merit than Jesus’s death on the cross would never been needed. His death revealed the life IN HIM, being found IN HIM is amazing. I’ve heard it preached that Adam messed up and God had to pull out plan B and mop up the mess.
2 Corinthians 3:14-15
The work of the cross is freeing! He created all mankind and forgave all mankind at the same time. Step into accept this free gift. The only view God has or ever will have of me is forgiven and righteous IN Him. The act of the cross restored all mankind to its original identity! A re-genesis into redeemed innocence!
My identity is IN HIM, only he can define who I am. He is the not an example for me but of me!
“What’s true of Him, is true of you. ”
Martyn Lloyd Jones
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Miley (my short take)
This is a first, I was inundated yesterday work with everyone talking about Miley Cyrus’s performance over the weekend. Twitter and Facebook have bkown up with posts about it. YouTube hits have gone beyond viral. The comments have been incredibly well… wrong.
My initial reaction was to judge her, but immediately I went past that and went onto wondering why and how. What happened to little Hannah Montana? The clean cut American girl is gone. The question of identity came to me.
People are decieved by the lie of who they truly are. The original deception happened in a garden when a snake lead someone to believe they could be like God if they just did something. Adam and Eve were already like God. They were made in the image of God. He was their identity. But they were deceived into believing they weren’t. Our original identity is Jesus! Miley’s original identity is Jeus. He is our address.
Are you believing anything less than that?
There is a God. He formed you before he created the world. He new there would be a separation, he knew his son would be crucified and wipeout mans sin nature. And he forgave man in his plan prior to creation. GOD works outside of time and space. He sees man as forgiven and pure. He does not see man as sinners. Step into that view. Receive that gift, its free(ing).
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Identify yourself please…
Identify your identity, and settle in it.
I can not define God let alone myself, but! He defines me perfectly!
He knew each of us before the creation, forgave us before creation, saw us pure and spotless before the creation and that’s the only way he will ever see us. I live by his definition of me!
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What’s up with Sodom
I was wasting time surfing Facebook this week and I saw a post that grabbed my attention. It was a question, the question was :
“What was the sin of Sodom and Gamorah?”
You saw the typical answers; pride, immorality, homosexuality, messing with angels, idolatry, disobedience, sex outside of marriage, etc. It made me think, what was their sin?
Was it homosexuality? Was it pride? Was it immortality? At the root I say nope. The root of sin is a deception in my opinion. Believing a lie. Sin in its essence is man saying that man can do something without God. Think about it. Man trying to gratify or or satisfy his own desires or needs.
Sin is tied back to mans striving to achieve on his own accord, believing the lie or deception of self. In the garden Adam’s sin was believing he could be like God by the enlightenment of eating of the the apple. He thought if he did something he could do or be something. Under the law forgiveness required a sacrifice an action on mans part. Jesus came and destroyed the law. He wiped out the need for action on man’s part. We were co-crucified and co-resurrected with him. In this we were restored to our original identity, a redeemed innocence.
Here’s the kicker! Adam was already like God! He was made in God’s image. He believed the original lie and that lie was he was not like God and satan made him think if he did something on his own accord he could attain a god like status.
Now for our kicker! We are also made in God’s image. I’ve said it before and if you come back a month later you will probably see it again. Martyn Lloyd Jones (1899-1981) said “what’s true of Him (God) is true of you.” Jesus the final Adam said “if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the father.”
We are in a better position then Adam ever was. He walked with God. God now resides within man. His address is you. Most people believe the lie that God is far off and we must struggle, strive, and strain to get God to even consider giving his attention to us. Do you not understand that God left the heavenlies to pursue man. We aren’t pets we are his sons and daughters. He knew you and justified you into his righteousness before the world was formed. The only thing required of us is to accept the free gift of his grace and acceptance. He even supplies the faith to believe it.
There is a God and he likes you and sees you pure and sin free (spotless) and that is the only view of you!
That is all for now…
Kilen's Spot 