God's plan for Israel never was a free ride to a candy-coated oblivion. Jesus, the Son, didn't come with any Big New Plan. There is a difference between the Old and New Testaments on what trust in God looks like, but the real story is that, "nothing ventured, nothing gained," is true here if any place. There is a price on faith. It's called obedience. Really,is there a difference?
Back to the candy shop: Western Christianity has gone from real faith in Christ for salvation to a "prayer of faith" for a promise of eternal self-indulgence, to a "word of faith" for the same selfishness here and now. It's become popular to think of the Afterlife as being defined by our "fondest dreams!" There are some references to the New Jerusalem with the pearl gates and streets of transparently pure gold, where Christ is the light of that city. While I have no problem with that city being a real thing in the future, let's look at those gates and streets.
It's become popular to think of the Afterlife as being defined by our "fondest dreams!" There are some references to the New Jerusalem with the pearl gates and streets of transparently pure gold, where Christ is the light of that city.
ReplyDeleteI theorize on the culminated Kingdom, and usually not dogmatically. I reason we will of course be free from sin and suffering, but we need challenges as finite beings. Life will not be one big party, or one big worship service, or will all the millions or billions of us believers follow Jesus everywhere he walks, or flies. I reason we will always be filled and guided by the Holy Spirit, and will spend much time personally with Christ and others in the Holy City and various places. There will also be challenges and failures, not moral ones, but in endeavours in order that we grow. If you and I Robert, are on a team of some sorts, we will not win every game or competition, but we will grow in all things as God guides us. We live and die through the problem of evil for more freedom, not less, but we shall be perfectly obedient to God.
I like your illustration. If you and I are on a team, yeah, we're going to win, 'cause I've got Big Russ on my side. Real simple game plan: Get the ball to Russ! Only, we are on the same team, and we've got an even better strategy. Get the ball to Jesus!
ReplyDeleteLutheran Harald Lindstrom has a great little book out, Wesley and Sanctification. I won't put big quotes in this thing, but his second chapter as I was just reading addresses what you were saying in some amazingly coincidental ways!
Blessings on ya, Russ!
One thing that we will get to see is the tree that grows in heaven, although some of us have seen it on earth.
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