Today, topics include maturing, spiritual growth, and becoming perfected as followers of Jesus Christ. Developing Christians all may be called those who have acknowledged an unquenchable need for divine forgiveness, grace, and renewal, and who willingly have volunteered to work for the Lord when recruited from among sinners. They have not been accepted and approved on the basis of their decency, their innocence, their finite human skills, or their being without sin. They have been granted place as his “beloved” and his “little ones”—not because they are perfect—because they are willing to be perfected by the Lord. These are those who need the most, love the most, display contrition, are burdened with a broken heart, who approach the Savior showing humility and meekness (a readiness to learn and grow), and who openly express their willingness to serve unselfishly with boldness and with zeal. One of the fighters at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID “Anonymous” (no profile is shared) posted the following:
Will God change me if I accept him?
I have a lot of worries about my future and I feel like I'm becoming a bad person will God make me into a better person if I accept him?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13: 36-43, King James Version, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Meekness, Mortality and Salvation? (07/13/2017); Caution! Work In Progress (10/19/2017); Becoming Joined To GOD (10/13/2017); Transformation Not Obedience Alone (07/02/2017); Events During Final Judgment? (11/28/2016); About Judgment By GOD (08/29/2016); Simple and Mature Faith (09/05/2016)
“Anonymous”, for Christian believers, accepting Jesus Christ as the Redeemer and Savior provided by GOD means willingly accepting permanent changes in your character, makeup, and divine substance that will result in having new standards, a new lifestyle, and new relationships. The ideas and images related to reaping a harvest are used in the holy writings to help the living understand the operations of GOD for the salvation of mankind. Sinners must become “born again” through water baptism (death and burial of their inborn spirit, resurrection from the dead having divine DNA, so to speak). By receiving fresh deposits of spirit content imparted from the makeup of our Creator, created beings on the earth become a new creation. Believers are to live as vessels of divine spirit, the offspring (sons and daughters) of GOD, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
Being saved (salvation) is not a “one-time” sacred event (we say, miracle) so much as a new birth wherein those who are “born again” also must “grow up again” and gradually become mature by meeting life challenges on the earth, gaining sacred knowledge along with secular knowledge, overcoming “growing pains,” enduring suffering, and even completing their own mortality (death).
Believers are not granted authority and self-will (we say, willpower) to ignore or interfere with the natural laws governing the earth, deny the frameworks of time and space, or violate the many fixed processes for the earth and human life (e.g., aging, decay, sickness, weather events). Even so, all are to display inseparable aspects of divinity that include faith, holiness, joy, longsuffering, lovingkindness, wisdom, and wrath against sin. Genuine salvation occurs through accepting accountability, commitment, obedience (mature expressions of love), and clear understanding, never through coercion, threats, and violence.
Because the operations of sin can only be eliminated using divine tools described as “final judgment,” those rejecting Christ do become subject to total destruction. Freedom from fear results by performing the righteousness required by divine law; by trusting GOD to carry out and fulfill his own recorded proclamations, promises, and prophecies; and by confessing and sharing truth with GOD through prayer. Consider again the following that uses language from the Bible:
(1.) John 3: 1-7, King James Version (KJV): 1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
(2.) 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.
(3.) Galatians 6: 7-9, KJV: 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
(4.) Luke 9: 56-62, KJV: 56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. 57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. 61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
There is far more to be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (5.) Revelation 14: 14-16, KJV: 14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.) 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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