My Good News
The world is in some need of good news. Death all around us. Everyone looking for how to cause peace and secure life. The answer is ancient and obvious, marvelous and terrible. Pray that you have an open mind and an open heart to receive it for this news is great for those who are changed by it and terrible for those who reject it.
What causes death?
The consequences of being wrong is failure. The effect of failure is loss. The manifestation of loss is poverty. The result of poverty is hunger. The aftermath of hunger is starvation. The outcome of starvation is death. The cause of death, therefore is being wrong. “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 8:32)
What causes life?
The consequences of being right is success. The effect of success is gain. The manifestation of gain is prosperity. The aftermath of prosperity is fullness. The outcome of fullness is life. The cause of life therefore, is being right. “Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live” (Proverbs 11:19)
With this understanding of the causes of life and death, we can appreciate the wisdom of proverbs which says “The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, ***DOING WHAT IS RIGHT*** and just and fair; (Proverbs 1:1-3)
In my life I have found the following 12 truths to be key to my ability to understand the world, finding peace in my life, and having a sure hope of eternal life. It’s important to not only say these but also act as if what I say is true.
1. I am capable of committing errors and in fact I have made many mistakes. I have suffered loss and felt the stings of just loss, poverty, and yet I have not died. (This is humility and an acknowledgment of mercy)
2. I am capable of harming myself and others and in fact I have done so. I have inflected self harm on myself and caused others to be harmed for selfish gain. For these reasons, I surely deserve to die and yet I have not died. (This is responsibility and a further acknowledgment of mercy).
3. I am capable of accepting the consequences for violating this law of righteousness with gratitude, for to hate the law itself and to wish wrongness to be rewarded and righteousness to be betrayed is the greatest sin, the sin against goodness itself.
***We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. (1 Timothy 1:8)***
4. I am capable of knowing what is right.
5. I am capable of knowing what is love.
6. I am capable of knowing what is mercy.
7. I am capable of believing that I am an object of God’s love and mercy by the act of God of bearing the punishment of my sin Himself, adopting my image as a sinful man, bearing the awful punishment for my sin, and granting me forgiveness and a new life through Him.
***But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)***
8. I am capable of seeing myself as pure and righteous now as God himself. I am capable of agreeing with God that I am worthy, I am loved, I am lovable, and I am deserving of eternal life through the righteousness of Christ.
***And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.*** Romans 4:22-25
9. I am capable of doing what is right, forgiving my errors, learning from my mistakes, and growing more and more wise knowing there is and can be NO CONDEMNATION for me.
***There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)***
10. I am capable of bearing the sufferings of others, taking on their losses, their diseases, and their poverty as a representative of Christ, knowing that these troubles are how I can embody the love of God in the world, that same love that first loved me.
***Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)***
11. I am capable of being grateful and rejoicing in every trial, rejection, deliberate misunderstanding, slander, injustice, mockery, torture, imprisonment, abuse, and act of dishonor knowing that these are not punishments, but acts of discipline from a God who endured all these things too unjustly for my sake.
***Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:3-5)***
12. I am capable of being fearless and courageous in the face of what others would see as their holy and terrible judgment knowing that I will be vindicated, not by the wages of my former sin, but by the wages of Christ’s righteousness freely accredited to me.
***For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)***
In summary, I am a new creation, no longer bound by the law that led to my death, freed from the wages of my sin, forgiven of the just sentence that I deserved. I am capable of following the example of Christ and every day becoming more like God, accepting all of God’s creation and my life as a wonderful gift, experiencing the absolute freedom and creative ability of God, even the ability to rejoice when I suffer.
***Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.*** (James 1:12-18)
Those who understand this can never be offended. They will never desire what they cannot have. They won’t fight for the land or the praise of others. They will have the courage to fight for the innocent and the good. Those who act like they believe this good news cannot be corrupted by money, fame, power, or applause. Those who act like this good news is true are peace makers, joyful martyrs, unstoppable rebels, and men and women who have the capacity to love others even unto their own sacrificial death. May I find many others who are willing to believe this gospel so that we may put to rest this wicked age of war, greed, self hatred, racism, and death.
Amen.
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