Today, topics include forgiveness, divine love, standards for moral character, and the operations of sin. The fighter at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID “Methane Mama” (Level 7 with 104,675 points, a member since November 02, 2010) posted the following:
Why do Christians seek to avoid responsibility for their sins by accepting Jesus' sacrifice on the cross?
Isn't that a sign of poor moral character to allow an innocent person to take the punishment for their sins?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8: 35-39, King James Version, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Atonement, Repentance and More (06/06/2017); Redemption Through Ordinary Flesh? (04/20/2017); Reflections on Existence (12/19/2016); The Focus Upon Spirit (09/12/2016); The World and The Cross? (04/19/2016); Love From The Cross? (04/08/2016); The Scale of Salvation? (12/13/2015)
“Methane Mama”, your critique of GOD’s plan for salvation is off the mark. Those who are his by following after Christ understand that the existence of mankind is interwoven with that of the universe. Mature Christian believers generally accept that, unknown and unseen by the living on earth, many agreements and decisions were made among the persons of the GODhead in order to determine a process of salvation for mankind when the Creation was tainted by their sin. It is correctly the place of the living to acknowledge and embrace the provision of GOD. Where men take sin to be a natural and normal condition, they fail to reject the existence of sin as contrary to their own nature and substance. Thus, as with human awareness and self-will (we say, will power), the finite standards and tools for created beings and living creatures that are available to process secular knowledge (e.g., intellect, logic, carnal reason, science) lack the necessary power, range, and scope to eliminate sin. More than this, without sacred knowledge and discernment (ability to recognize and respond to spirit content from the makeup of divinity that resides within events, oneself, other persons, prophecy, the holy writings, etc.), the living are “blind” to things having enormous sacred presence. The divine examination we call “final judgment” will not center so much upon things carnal, material and social (e.g., attitudes, behavior, conduct) as upon the spirit content of both believers and sinners. Included should be inseparable aspects of the life essence imparted through rebirth (we say, breath, spirit, word) that includes faith, holiness, longsuffering, lovingkindness, meekness, wisdom, and wrath against sin. Consider again the following:
(1.) Job 38: 4-7, King James Version (KJV): 4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
(2.) 1st Corinthians 3: 11-13, KJV: 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (3.) Romans 8: 5-9, KJV: 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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