December is filled with celebration around our home… my (Randy) birthday is the 16th,  Christmas the 25th, Mary’s (my wife) birthday is the 27th and our wedding anniversary is the 28th… then the New Year!  We are worn out and broke at the end of it every year but there is much to celebrate when life is so gooooooood in Him. 

Mary and I celebrate our 53rd anniversary this year on Sunday.  I generally mark the event with a  syrupy sweet post on social media like what will shortly follow.  I do so, not just to tout our longevity in love. God knows we aren’t perfect and there have been struggles we wouldn’t have survived without Him at our foundation. But, that is the exact reason I share it, and do so again here. Our marriage has been founded on an understanding of Biblical love that has made all the difference. The first 6 years were difficult, after that, the LORD got our attention and things changed. A large part of that was our understanding of how closely commitment and faithfulness are tied to the nature and character of God in love.  Here is an example of what I normally post: 

AFTER 53 YEARS I AM STILL LOVING MARY!

We, Mary and I, are both very ordinary people,… really, both of us. But our love and commitment over 53 years has, unfortunately, become a bit extraordinary in our culture today! We live in a very consumables and consumer driven culture and time. If we don’t like something, we just throw it away and get something new, or something we like better. That has, unfortunately, come to apply to relationships in our culture as well. And, believe me, I am sure there have been times when she has wanted to toss me and find something better! It takes a special kind of unflappable, even-keeled personality and tremendous patience to endure a lifetime in marriage to one such as I. You must be 1/3 complete saint, and of course, 1/3 great lover, and 1/3 lion tamer.

But, it is our understanding of what love is, and what it requires, that would not allow either of us to toss the relationship along the way.

It was 53 years ago today that at two weeks past 20 I made a commitment to a girl a day over 17. Miss Mary Louise Eldredge. Most told us we were too young. We probably were! The first 6 years were rugged as we both matured and finished raising one another. We probably stayed together just to spite those naysayers in those early years.

I memorized 1st Corinthians 13 as my vows. Boy, that “I will be patient, and kind, I will not act unbecomingly, and will keep no score of wrongs,” has been tough to live up to, and not too tasty to swallow as I’ve failed and eaten those words many times. She took Ruth’s vow to Naomi: “for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.” Little did she know I would move her more than 20 times and pull her all over the country, as a career in radio became like tent making to Paul for us in His purpose. But the commitments made were serious and lasted and we are blessed

That commitment to her has been the best of my life. She has been, and still is, my perfect match and mate. Her love never fails. In the good and bad, up and down, lean and abundant times her love is consistent and committed. God has deeply, richly, blessed me with her love as a gift, and graced me with the joy of sharing life with her, and with her help. I am overjoyed to have her as my best friend, counselor, lover, wife, partner and more. She inspires life in me, and others, with her laughter, her heart of praise, her encouragement, her hospitality gift, her love, and her positive paradigm focused on His goodness.

Yes, her eyes still dance and she delights me with them, and her smile drives joy to my heart daily. Her love of people, her family, friends, strangers, and her LORD still daily inspire me to be a better man as they always have. Her embrace of life, the ups and the downs, challenges and the triumphs, more and the less, weakness and strength, in all that any day may bring, give me unwavering help and support. But, it is knowing her commitment to me, and for me, in everything, even when I am very unlovely, unbecoming. And, even in those times when it’s hard to even be near me, much less like me in any way, that causes me to want to humble myself before her, praise her, and be committed to her, in like manner in the adventure that is life, and yet day after day.

So, we mark 53 extraordinary years together today. And, we are committed to all the days that remain ahead. I am still… still loving Mary!

Hearing her take on her days each morning with praise inspires me daily. I grump and gripe, and I cuss and fuss. She gives thanks and sings praise and draws my heart to follow after. I am certain I always will. I am led and inspired because of the marvel of Mary. So, again, today, I thank the Lord for Mary, and another year with her, AND for His faithfulness / commitment in love for us, and a revelation of Biblical love that has made all the difference in us, and many we have shared it with in wedding and marriage counseling.

And, again, I will share our understanding for biblical love/commitment: “Love…. bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails” 1st Corinthians 13:7-8a. Those that know me well have heard me wax eloquent about the nature of love and that Biblical love has nothing to do with warm fuzzies and emotion. It is based in commitment/faithfulness. That is why it is commanded. You can’t command emotion.

True love is a decision of the will and requires action. 

Here is the definition that has served us, and so many  others we have counseled and shared it with, so well over the years:

-Love  is the decision to act toward a person, group, or situation (even enemies) in a particular way NO MATTER WHAT, because you know that is what God has asked you to do. –

As such it is a response of obedience to God (if you come from a Biblical mindset like we do, or to your own conscience / character in a more secular paradigm). Love is active, and it is often measured by sacrifice. This understanding has served us, and many others we have shared it with, well over the years. I hope it helps and serves you in your relationships and loving…  of even the unlovely

True love is based in commitment            

(which is closely related to faithfulness in the nature and character of God).

Love is a decision of the will, not an emotion or warm fuzzies. 

It is the decision to act toward a person, group or situation in a particular way no matter what 

because you know that is what God has asked you to do.

As such it is a response of obedience to God. That is why, from a Biblical perspective, Love is commanded .

As I said, I do not post this kind of thing annually on social media out of any sense that my wife and I have perfected marital bliss, but because I am convinced our culture misunderstanding, or cheapening,  the nature of commitment, in what we call love, has diminished relationships. And, in fact, has destroyed many relationships and marriages. And, on the other hand, I am convinced comprehending Biblical love as a response of obedience to what God has asked of you in relation to another person, group, or situation… And, seeing that He has demonstrated it so well toward us in His word and manifested it in Jesus, has made all the difference for us. And, we have seen it do the same for many others. 

 
When I counseled others more,  I used to have men come to me and say: “I want out. I just don’t love her any more!  My response would be.  Look, you’ll just have to make the decision to love her because in Ephesians 5:25  husbands are commanded: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,”. They would generally tell me something like “You don’t understand, or aren’t listening.  I can’t do that.  I don’t love her any way like, or even near, that. I don’t think I even like her much anymore, and I’m certainly not going to sacrifice myself,  and my happiness, for her.”  And, I’d say well you just have to start with loving her like a neighbor because as believers we are commanded in Matthew and Mark [Matthew 19:22, Mark 12:31)…. YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”  Again they would say…“You don’t get it…. Listen! I don’t, I can’t love her…!!”  So, finally I would say, Well you’ll have to love her as an enemy because in Luke 6 we are told [Luke 6:27 NASB95] 27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you… (see also Luke 6:35 and Matthew 5:44). 

Obviously these answers were not initially helpful in a practical sense. But they did lay the groundwork for understanding that the kind of love God commands us to for people is not always about our comfort, and certainly not based on a response to how we feel or warm fuzzies, but what He is asking of us for them.  From there, with many believers, we could start working toward reconciliation even when there were deep hurts or unfaithfulness.

This kind of love, again,  is based on commitment, no matter what, and that is the difficult part. And the nature of commitment and faithfulness from God’s, or a biblical, perspective is best understood going into a relationship for believers. Count the costs before. Please understand, I am not saying anyone should stay in a relationship where they are being physically or emotionally abused (too deep a subject to go into here), but reconciliation of relationships is possible in Him, IF believers are willing to obey and communicate.  God is faithful (committed)  in covenant love and His design is that we be also.  It is why  Paul tells Timothy :

[2Timothy 2:13 NASB95] 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself

.Following is  some scripture for consideration regarding the command to love

[Ephesians 5:25 NASB95] 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,

The command here is to men/husbands. They are responsible for love in that covenant.  It is to be sacrificial, and requires much. Note:  women are never told to “Love your husbands”.  If a man loves her like Christ loves the church, she will respond in love, and he will be very pleased with her. That is because husbands and wives are to be a picture of Christ and the church in love. (see Ephesians 5:32-33). Once you see the fullness of Christ’s love for you, you will respond in submission (not subservience) out of love.  (Note to the counseling conversation outlined above… when men told me “I just don’t love her anymore”, I knew they weren’t lying and where some foundational problems might be.) 

[Mark 12:29-31 NASB95] 29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ 31 “The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Jesus indicated what the great commandments were and both involved the activity of love. Love God and Love your neighbor. In other places he even indicated the whole of the law and prophets hung on these two commands. 

“[Matthew 5:43-48 NASB95] 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on [the] evil and [the] good, and sends rain on [the] righteous and [the] unrighteous. 46 “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing [than others?] Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

It is the Father’s nature and character to love. It should not surprise us whom He loved enough to reconcile is in Jesus, while we were His enemies, that He commands us to love even enemies and the unlovely. 

[Romans 5:8-10 NASB95] 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath [of God] through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Love is the Law of the Kingdom. Because we are in the Body, it is ours to exercise effort and diligence to preserve the bonds of unity and peace.

[Colossians 3:12-14 NASB95] 12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things [put on] love, which is the perfect bond of unity. (“put on” here is italicized because it is added for understanding… read without it, it is obviously a command to love if you are to have the perfect bond of unity.)

[Ephesian 4:1-3 NASB95] 1Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

The example of love and reconciliation in the family of God is carried from Genesis to Revelation. The first heinous sin that divided the family was … jealousy that led to the murder of Cain. But we also have examples of reconciliation throughout.  Reconciliation is always possible, and the onus is always on us to pursue it. Otherwise we can be consumed and destroy one another. Bitterness and being unwilling to forgive…lead to death of relationships and people on both ends.  Note the pattern of family reconciliation examples here:

Genesis 32 & 33 Jacob and Esau

Genesis 45 -50 Joseph and his brothers

then there IS JESUS…. making reconciliation available with the Father…

[Romans 5:8-11 NASB95] 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath [of God] through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Peter and Jesus

[John 21:15-17 NASB95] 15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, [son] of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, [son] of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, [son] of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.

Peter failed and denied Him. Jesus did not give up on Peter and His calling of Him.  Peter… he asked twice. Do you love me sacrificially with agapeo, love that will give up all for me. Peter said each time….Lord I love you like a brother (phileo), essentially indicating he was not as committed or faithful and he knew he should be, and had proved it by his denial and return to fishing.  He is then grieved at the third question from Jesus which is do you phileo me. But do notice that Jesus never condemned, and never backed away from His calling of Peter or His believing/knowing that Peter would fulfill his call and love of Jesus. Saying each time Tend my lambs, Shepherd my sheep, Tend by sheep.  He remains faithful in His love and call of us, even when we are faithless.  That is agapeo..based in commitment.

Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark 

 [Acts 15:37-39 NASB95] 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. 38 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.

[2Timothy 4:11 NASB95] 11 Only Luke is with me. Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.

A sharp disagreement resulted in breaking fellowship between Barnabas and Paul and Paul and Mark. It is obvious that reconciliation was worked through, and Paul later considered Mark profitable in ministry.

Because of Jesus’ example of love and reconciliation in the face of wrong, we carry the onus to reconcile to each other and everyone. 

We live in a culture that regards relationships as disposable, but that is not in the nature and character of God!  He is a God of relationship in love. He, in fact, exists in relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit that is One, (the Hebrew here is echad –  bound together – inseparable). The scriptures declare His/Your love is everlasting more than 40 times and His faithfulness (commitment) is said to reach to all generations.

[Psalm 36:5 NASB95] 5 Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness [reaches] to the skies.
[Psalm 100:5 NASB95] 5 For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.
[Psalm 119:90 NASB95] 90 Your faithfulness [continues] throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands [Lamentations 3:22-23 NASB95] 22 The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. 23 [They] are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 

Then note again His commitment in the marriage covenant revealed through Hosea. The prophet that  had a harlot and unfaithful wife.

[Hosea 2:19-20 NASB95] 19 “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion, 20 And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the LORD. 

We are charged with the ministry of reconciliation. Jesus addressed it early in His ministry.  

[Matthew 5:21-26 NASB95] 21 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ 22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty [enough to go] into the fiery hell. 23 “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. 25 “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 “Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

We are ambassadors of reconciliation.  But, How can we entreat the world to reconcile with, and be reconciled to, God, if His love can’t even move us to reconcile with one another?

[2Corinthians 5:18-21 NASB95] 18 Now all [these] things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin [to be] sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Why spend all this ink on reconciliation when the point is love is a response of obedience  and is commanded? The answer is revealed to a large extent in this passage to the church at Corinth where Paul reveals his ministry in the gospel as one of entreating, begging on the behalf of Jesus, for men to be reconciled to God through Jesus.  The same word of reconciliation, He has committed to us that believe and are in the  world  as ambassadors from the Kingdom of our Lord. Our authority and credentials are founded and established in the fullness of His love, which we alone can manifest as recipients and as His body. 

[1John 4:20-21 NASB95] 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.  (consider also vs 17-20 here as well) 

[1John 3:16-18 NASB95] 16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.

AGAIN,  LOVE IS NOT  DEPENDENT ON EMOTION OR FEELINGS…. WE ARE CLEARLY COMMANDED TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER! Love is not manifested in words alone but is active and displayed in deeds

[John 13:34-35 NASB95] 34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

“[John 15:12-17 NASB95] 12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 14 “You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and [that] your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 “This I command you, that you love one another.

[Romans 13:8 NASB95] 8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled [the] law.

[Romans 12:9-10 NASB95] 9 [Let] love [be] without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 [Be] devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor (the “Let” and “be” in verse 9 are parenthesized because they are added for understanding. Read without them they are clearly a command.)

[1Thessalonians 4:9 NASB95] 9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for [anyone] to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

[1Peter 1:22-23 NASB95] 22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, [that is,] through the living and enduring word of God.

[1John 3:9-11 NASB95] 9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;[2John 1:5-6 NASB95] 5 Now I ask you, lady, not as though [I were] writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

I pray this stroll through commandments regarding love and reconciliation has been helpful and fruitful. And even if you are not persuaded that the understanding of love I have shared is accurate, I hope you are inspired to love as the first reaction to people, groups, and and situations you find yourself relating to.  My prayer is we may take the words of John the apostle to heart…

[1John 4:7, 11 NASB95] 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. …     11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another

[Luke 1:26-49 NASB] 26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. 36 “And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 “For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bond-slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. 39 Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 “And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 “For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” 46 And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 48 “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. 49 “For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.

In verse 46-49 Mary’s full heart burst into praise at all that God by His Holy Spirit is doing in her, through her, and to her.   How many of us are doing the same at this season of our lives? It is an amazing response given her circumstances.

In verse 26 and 27 we learn this girl, who is probably somewhere between 14 and 17, is betrothed to a man from the line of David. 

In verse 28 she is greeted by an Angelic visitation.  There had been few, perhaps none, in 400 years.  Now as strange as that must have seemed to her, His greeting is even more so.  “Hail favored one! The Lord is with you!”   No wonder she was perplexed and wondering about the situation. She was probably thinking, “Yeah, right, I am a Jewish girl in a country taken captive by Rome.  If that isn’t bad enough I am about to marry a carpenter! Have you ever felt a carpenter’s hands? Do you know how little they make?  Favored huh? Favor is supposed to be the peace that is the fruit of God’s presence with you. Instead I am greatly troubled at your words”

Then in verses 30-33, as if it were the best of news, the angel calms her fears, telling her she has found favor.  The result of that favor will be that she is soon to be found pregnant.  Just what every teenage bride-to-be wants, right?

The good news, in verses 31-33, is that she is not to have just any baby, but a Savior (Jesus = savior/deliverer) who will rule as king and Son of God.  This news must have passed her ears by, in one and out the other, because her next question is, “Hey wait a minute! Who is the father of this child going to be, because I am going to have to be in close and intimate relationship with him?” (How can this be, since I am a virgin?)  I love her response, revealing the natural thinking of a young girl.

The angel then explains, verses 34 and 35, that paternity will belong to God by His Holy Spirit, and that the child’s genetics will make him the Son of God. And lest she doubt this possible, the angel offers up confirmation, in verse 36, that anything is possible with God. He tells her that her famously barren relative, Elizabeth, is with child now in the 6^th month.  So, he reminds her in verse 37, nothing will be impossible with God.

What happens next is the miraculous that is put in place when God plants the seed of faith in us by his Word. You see, faith is not initiated in us. It comes one way, by the now spoken revelation of God: His word to us in the moment. And our response to receiving it releases the miracle of purpose into motion through us and in our lives. The outworking of hearing is faith. The outworking of faith is obedience, and the outworking of obedience is seeing the fulfillment of God’s plan and purposes.

In that moment, in verse 38, where she responded “Behold the bond-slave of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.”  The outworking of hearing took root.  It is the place where she heard the word of God, her Lord, and submitted to its purpose.   Her response, “I am your servant. Let your word have its way in me” is a true response of faith. She submits her will to His, and herself to the purposes of God, simply responding to the word she has heard and trusting Him to work it out.

I am not sure she understood all it entailed or would lead her into, but she was willing.   Sometimes we hear God, but will not move until we have every detail fleshed out for the next ten years.  True faith often finds its release in a very childlike response that accepts and receives His word and moves without complete understanding of all the “whys” or “how” of what has been spoken.  

And then we have the miracle of God becoming man to dwell among us, in a moment at His word, and her receiving it. I believe at that moment, when she responded “BE IT DONE TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD” the conception took place. He did not force her by command, but drew her into His purpose by speaking and a response of faith in love.  What a glory it is to be part of the eternal purposes of God, by simply receiving and responding to what He speaks to us!

While faith is initiated in and by Him, and is often released in our childlike acceptance and response, God often has arranged confirmation beforehand. So, it was with Mary through Elizabeth.  In verses 39 and 40 this young, now pregnant, girl makes haste to take a journey of seventy miles, on her own, to receive such confirmation as the angel has led her to believe she will find.  But, she gets so much more than just confirmation.

She does get confirmation, but she gets a complete prophetic response in verses 41-45.  From the leaping of the baby John the Baptist in Elizabeth’s formerly barren womb, to Elizabeth being filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking prophecy and messianic insight to Mary.  She calls Mary blessed, and speaks of the child that Mary carries as her Lord, and confirms there will be a fulfillment of all she has heard by His word.

Mary’s response is rejoicing in the confirmation of His word.   Elizabeth confirms the word to Mary by the Holy Spirit in her, and Mary understands God is going to perform that which He has spoken and promised, and that is a much larger part of His plan than she may have thought. He cannot lie.  He will fulfill what He speaks. God speaks and faith is initiated, and He cannot lie.  As such, it is the foundation for true joy because it receives the certain fulfillment of God’s promises.

The outworking of faith is obedience. When God speaks and we do what He says. Really, as we simply trust Him to work it all out as we walk with Him, we see the fullness of His plans and purpose.  So, the outworking of obedience is seeing that fulfillment of His plan and purpose in and through us.  

One of the byproducts of understanding that He is working His plan through us, and our receiving His word, is heartfelt worship under the inspiration of the Spirit, which we see in verses 46-55.  When it is revealed and confirmed that God is doing a great thing through her, Mary’s heart pours forth in praise and worship.

Each year at this time, the Christmas season, The Nativity, we read this passage and stand in awe of the incarnation and of His coming.  It seems mysterious and miraculous. And it is!  But, may I ask you to follow me in some personal application.

The mystery of divine seed being planted in Mary, and the mystery of divine nature taking on human form is certainly wondrous, but it is still happening today, and all the time.   Mary is sometimes wrongly referred to as The Queen of Heaven and the Mother of God.  She is, and was, none of that. She is/was just like you and me, a simple bond-slave of the Lord.  And, the same miracle that happened to her happens, and takes place, in you and me. The very same miracle of incarnation is to be seen in us.

Even as the messenger of God brought her news of God’s favor, God being with her. Just so have you and I received the message of God’s favor and grace and love for us in the gospel, and the news and understanding that He is with us and for us in every situation.

Even as Mary could not understand or believe what His purpose was in her at first. So are we unable to comprehend what God is doing in us, and that His “eternal purpose” for, and in, Jesus the Messiah are being accomplished through us when the message first comes to us.

Even as the messenger calmed her fears, and built a foundation telling her she is favored of God. Just so does the Holy Spirit build a foundation of grace under us, letting us know we are not chosen by our merit, or because we are so great, or anything special, but just because God loves us. By His grace we are saved, and by His favor we are given opportunity to co-labor with Him in His eternal purposes in Jesus. (see Ephesians 2:8-10)

Even as she was told that she would conceive new life, and bring forth a son that would be called “salvation”.  Just so have we had new life conceived in us by His word.  And, in our receiving it and through the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to manifest the Son, Jesus Christ, to the world around us.  We reveal him individually and corporately through becoming sons of God ourselves, that Jesus might be the firstborn of many brothers.  We also reveal him corporately, as we function with other believers, other family members, as His body. We are the church, His body, and the fullness of Him who fills all in all. We manifest Jesus, and display the salvation that is in Him, giving testimony to it in word and deed individually and corporately. (see John 1:12 Romans 8:29, Ephesians 1:22-23, John 17:18-23)

Even as Jesus, the Son, was to be a manifestation and revelation of God in human form, the divine nature united with and revealed through human nature. So too do we become the revelation of the divine nature in man.  The rebirth, being born again, born from above, establishes in us a new divine nature with our human form administrated by the Holy Spirit taking residence in us and exhibiting Christ. We are not divinity, but we manifest the fullness of Jesus corporately and He may be seen in us individually as we move under His Lordship. 

Even as Jesus purpose was to return the throne to the line of David, and establish authority and rule as King in God’s eternal purpose. So now has the authorized rule of God, the Kingdom of God, been set up and is being revealed first through us as God’s redeemed people. The Holy Spirit administrates the Lordship of Jesus in each one individually, and, as Head of His body through us corporately. (see John 1:12, 1 Peter 2:9)

Even as His Kingdom was to be eternal, never ending. Just so have we become the first fruits of the restoration of all creation and been given eternal life.  His eternal rule has been established first in us, as the church, and is NOW to be exhibited through us to the world around us, and to principalities and powers above us. (see, Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 6:10-13, Romans 8:16-18)

Even as Mary could not see all that pertained to the Kingdom in what was spoken to her and did not comprehend how that would all be worked out. So are we often confused by the situations we face, and the call of God upon us, not seeing any way for it all to happen. But His being seen in us, and the Kingdom coming through us, is just as sure.

Even as it would be the Holy Spirit coming upon her and the power of the Most High overshadowing her, so that she might bring forth Jesus, the Son of God. So now is it the Holy Spirit that indwells us, and who begins conception of new life in us, and then transforms us by the word of God from one degree of glory to the next into the image of Jesus.  By that work of the Holy Spirit is Jesus manifested individually and corporately, that He might take His place manifested as the first born among many brethren and the head of His body, the church. (see 2 Corinthians 3:18, Colossians 1:1-18 and others already listed)

Even as Mary opened herself to be the bond-slave of the Lord that His eternal purpose in Jesus might be accomplished through her receiving His word.  Even so must we respond to His word as obedient bond-slaves and pour ourselves out as a living sacrifice to Him. (see Romans 12:1-5, James 2:18-20 & 26, Ephesians 2:9-10)

Even as Mary had a close relative who could testify concerning the ability of God to bring life out of death and barrenness, and encourage her that the impossible can be accomplished through the one that receives and believes His word.  So too has God drawn us into a family, the fellowship of other believers, to support and encourage us with that same news, and to confirm His purposes for us, and that His eternal purpose being worked out through us.

Even as Mary sought counsel and confirmation from Elizabeth concerning the word of the Lord she received. Even so do we seek counsel and confirmation from other brothers and sisters in the Lord, and those in the Body of Christ that also carry the manifestation of His word and His power in themselves. And, even as Elizabeth spoke prophetic encouragement to her relative, Mary, as she was filled with the Holy Spirit, so can we be used prophetically by the Spirit to confirm the word of the Lord and encourage those we relate to in Him.  (see 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 3:13, Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 14:1-4, 22,31)

Even as what was happening with Mary had greater importance and impact on Elizabeth than Mary at first, and Mary may have not even realized its import.  Even so do the things spoken to us, and that we go through, often benefit and mean more to others in the Body, at first, than they may to us.

Even as Elizabeth had greater understanding about what was going on with Mary, than Mary may have had at first. Just so do our brothers and sisters in Christ often have better understanding of what God is doing in us and what is going on with us than we do at times.

Even as Mary was blessed as she believed, and could be sure that God would do all that He had spoken to her. So too can we rest assured and be confident in His word spoken and confirmed to us, and expect to see the fulfillment of God’s plan and purpose as we respond to what He speaks. (see Philippians 1:6, Numbers 23:19…the life of Abraham and others)

Even as the confirmation drew out of Mary a sincere and heartfelt worship as she understood His faithfulness to His word and His eternal purposes.  And this is important: So too should the realization and understanding that we, individually, have that same source of life by the Holy Spirit in us. And, that we corporately, as the Body of Christ, hold the fullness of Jesus and His life within us, and that we are to manifest His fullness, and His love, and His power, and His victory to the world around us, and principalities and powers above us. That revelation and understanding should draw out of us sincere worship, and cause us to break forth into proclaiming His goodness and the greatness of what He has done for us. We are those who break into each new day with new mercies, love that endures forever, and purposes that sewn up in Christ Jesus.

My soul magnifies the LORD as His Spirit leads my mind into willing submission to His purposes in Jesus and into praise.  My being is wrapped up in Him and His purpose.   From His own infinite kindness and compassion, He has chosen the likes of the lowly, me/us, and we are the ones now counted as blessed from generation to generation.  We have been exalted in Him. The Mighty One has wrought miracles in me/us. Salvation and Sanctification are mine in Him, and mine to proclaim to others in His purposes. Holy, Abundant Goodness, Exuberant Kindness is His Name. I have great reason to rejoice.  His favor is without end in Jesus. The ruler of this world is overthrown. And Jesus, God with us, now rules and reigns. His kingdom manifested first in the likes of me/us.   He has satisfied my hunger. He is faithful and true.

And it must be said that even as Mary brought forth Jesus, the word spoken to her and the WORD made flesh, through the suffering of childbirth and labor. So too do we through His natural order and our suffering bring forth the supernatural and His purpose and walk out its growth and full manifestation in Him.

THAT VERY SAME MIRACLE THAT HAPPENED IN MARY… IS IN US. May Jesus be brought forth, revealed, manifested, incarnate through us as his bond-slaves in love.  Loving servants to Him, to each other, and to those around us.   

Considering our times and the arguments over the sanctity of life, it is only proper that we consider what Mary might have said in our day instead of “Be it done to me according to your word”:     In our time she might have responded… “I don’t want this.” “This will be inconvenient.” “What will people say?”  “What will Joseph say?”  “How will I support a child?”  And anytime past conception… “I think I’ll just abort this plan.”

Are any of these our response to the opportunity to manifest Jesus in our time

May the incarnation come in fullness in you this year.

To wrap up our consideration of the incarnation from previously written pieces, this from last year, “A Bit Less Traditional View of God’s Purpose in the Birth of Christ

Jesus coming was for the redemption and salvation of man. But more than that, yes more, His coming was wrapped up in God’s eternal purpose to fellowship with you intimately. His desire to make it possible for you to know Him, as well as He knows you; and possible for you to be comfortable with Him, and He comfortable with you. His name was called Emmanuel.- God with us.

Here are a few scriptures that are a bit less traditional to the season, but outline God’s purpose in the incarnation we celebrate

[Ephesians 1:18-23 NASB] “18 [I pray that] the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His (God’s)calling, what are the riches of the glory of His (God’s) inheritance in the saints (believers), 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His (God’s) power toward us who believe. [These are] in accordance with the working of the strength of His (God’s) might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He (God) raised Him (Jesus) from the dead and seated Him(Jesus) at His right hand in the heavenly [places,] 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He (God) put all things in subjection under His(Jesus) feet, and gave Him (Jesus) as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His (Jesus) body, the fullness of Him (God) who fills all in all.”
[2 Corinthians 5:21]“He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (Jesus) .”

An inheritance comes only after a death. Jesus came not to be your personal savior, although He is that, and that salvation is the portal to His greater purpose. But, He came primarily to present to the Father His (God’s) inheritance in the likes of you and me. What the scripture calls “the saints”.

How glorious the incarnation in the purpose of God, how great His grace and love, how deep His desire, from eternity past, to bring us into intimate fellowship, so that His only begotten Son might be the first born of many brothers/sisters who are in Him. 

[Hebrews 2:9-11 NASB95] 9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, [namely,] Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one [Father;] for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,

[1John 3:1-3 NASB95] 1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and [such] we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope [fixed] on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

The hope we have as children, sons and daughters, of God would be great if it were only to see Him. But God’s full love has not only made seeing Him our hope. But, our hope goes far beyond just seeing Jesus to being being like Him,

John, who had seen and touched the incarnate Jesus. The incarnate Word!!!  invites us into the same fellowship he enjoyed with Jesus, and the fellowship Jesus has had with the Father for all eternity.  Imagine. GOD WITH US… and  indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and His Son Jesus Christ.

[1John 1:1-3 NASB95] 1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life-– 2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us– 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas…. Celebrating God with Us!

We are about 10 days away from the date we set aside to celebrate the Incarnation. God becoming man. Immanuel – God is with us!   What glory to even consider and conceive such. The God Who spoke the universe into existence taking on the form of a man, coming as an infant, growing into a young carpenter, and living with the whole purpose of the ages in His Father in view: to bring life out of His death, and liberty from the bondage of sin to a fallen world, so we might be one… “even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.(Jesus prayer in John 17:21)

The apostle John in his account of creation in John 1 does not begin with heaven and earth, but with The Word and Light out of darkness.

[John 1:1-5, 9-13 NASB95] 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. … 9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, [even] to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

It is an amazing understanding of the way things were before the foundations of the world, and God’s purpose and intent in sending His son, as God in flesh, that He might have many sons like the First and only begotten of God. Consider… I mean meditate… for just a few moments on what John recorded next. Ask the Holy Spirit to unfold your understanding of this:

[John 1:14-18 NASB95] 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John (the baptist) testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'” 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained [Him.]

I will forego lengthy exposition here, leaving you in the capable hands of the Holy Spirit, but to say God veiled His very Word, which is truth (John 17:17: Your word is truth), in flesh and sent Him/God the Son among us, giving us full exposure to His glory. The Glory of the One and Only who was in the Father and came from Him to us full of, and revealing, His great grace and all truth. And although no one has seen God at any time, this only begotten of the Father, this Word, this Jesus, explained Him. 

But, “explained” is too simple a word here.  The King James version says “declared” Him, unfortunately I think, an even more simple understanding; as in He preached Him.  I am not a Greek scholar, but my understanding of the term “exogeomai” (from which we get the term exegete and exegesis) is to go before, to fully draw out a narrative for complete understanding, to literally unfold a complete understanding of something, or in this case Someone. The fullness of God was in Him in bodily form. Jesus revealed the fullness of the nature and character of God, His grace, His love, His truth. That is why Jesus could say to Philip when he said 

“Show us the Father and it is enough for us.  “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father….

[Colossians 2:9 NASB95] 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,

[John 14:7-13 NASB95] 7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” 8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and [yet] you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how [can] you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. 12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater [works] than these he will do; because I go to the Father. 13 “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Revealing His complete understanding of the Father’s purpose to draw us into fellowship with Himself and the Son, Jesus, John would later write:

[1John 1:1-3 NASB95] 1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life-– 2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us– 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

John saying here, he heard Jesus personally, he had seen Him personally, he touched Him with his hands personally… The very Word of Life he had opened his gospel proclaiming, he had had a first hand unfolding of the Father through, walking with Jesus. He is now inviting his readers to understand the eternal purpose of God in Christ, and to have that same unfolding, and become one in that fellowship that the Father and Son enjoy, and that John himself now proclaims, knows, and enjoys with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ!

What a glorious thing to comprehend the unfolding of understanding,  and knowing, God in Christ Jesus.  God could have revealed Himself in so many awesome ways that would have got our attention in either mesmerizing, or awe and fear inspiring, displays of power, blowing our minds. But, His plan was to become like us and reveal Himself in grace and truth, and the fullness of His love, in Jesus…. His Final Word.   

As Michael Card put so well in his song  His Final Word: His final Word is Jesus. He needed no other one.

You and me we use
So very many clumsy words
The noise of what we often say
Is not worth being heard
When the Father’s Wisdom wanted to
Communicate His love
He spoke it in one final perfect Word

He spoke the Incarnation
And then so was born the Son
His final word was Jesus
He needed no other one
Spoke flesh and blood so He could bleed
And make a way Divine
And so was born the baby
Who would die to make it mine

And so the Father’s fondest thought
Took on flesh and bone
He spoke the living luminous Word
At once His will was done
And so the transformation
That in man had been unheard
Took place in God the Father
As He spoke that final Word

He spoke the Incarnation
And then so was born the Son
His final word was Jesus
He needed no other one
Spoke flesh and blood so He could bleed
And make a way Divine
And so was born the baby
Who would die to make it mine

And so the Light became alive
And manna became Man
Eternity stepped into time
So we could understand

He spoke the Incarnation
And then so was born the Son
His final word was Jesus
He needed no other one
Spoke flesh and blood so He could bleed
And make a way Divine
And so was born the baby
Who would die to make it mine
And so was born the baby
Who would die to make it mine

The Final Word – Michael Card

God with us! We have visited the idea of God’s desire to dwell with us. It is no small thing to consider, and then to recognize, that He has come by the Holy Spirit to take up residence in the likes of you and me, and to make us His abode. Place of abiding. I am mesmerized by the following discourse between Jesus and his disciples –

¹⁶“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; ¹⁷[that is] the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, [but] you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. ¹⁸“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹“After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you [will] see Me; because I live, you will live also. ²⁰“In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. ²¹“He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” ²²Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?” ²³Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.John 14:16-23

I will not go into deep exposition here. Not sure I could anyway. But consider it. Jesus made it possible for the Holy Spirit, who is very God, not to just abide with us, but to be in us. Consider further that there is an understanding that we can know, understand, rest in, that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus, is in the Father, and that we are in Him, and He is in us. We have been made one with Him. And finally, that as we love Him, keeping His word, the Father and the Son come to abide, dwell, live with the likes of us.

Note verse 21 that love and obedience are inextricably linked. As we comprehend the fullness of the Father’s love in Jesus, it draws us into bending the knee, not out of being forced into obedience, but from being loved into it. In the Kingdom, submission is gained by love. As we love Him we desire to submit and do what He asks/commands with the outworking result being that we are loved by the Father and the Son, and Jesus is revealed/disclosed to us. It is a blessed circle of loving and knowing Him more and more. He is ever dwelling, abiding, with and in us by the Holy Spirit who indwells us.

⁹However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

…
¹¹But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.Romans 8:9, 11

¹⁶Do you not know that you are a temple of God and [that] the Spirit of God dwells in you?1 Corinthians 3:16

There is a place in your spirit where Christ dwells. A place where the Holy Spirit abides. Heaven touches earth, the mortal the immortal. You are not saved because you “accepted” Christianity and its tenets. No, you are saved because you have been baptized into one body, Jesus, by the Spirit and Jesus has baptized you/gifted you with or in the Holy Spirit who indwells you. It is in, by, and through Him you are able to, and have, come to God. And dwell with Him.

Read and consider John 14: 16-23 often. Know you have not been left as orphans in the world. No! Your Lord Jesus, Savior and master, has been, and continues to be, disclosed and revealed to you as you abide in Him and under His Lordship. Your Father is nearby abiding with you. The Holy Spirit dwells in you. You are not alone.  God is with us!

Like many, I was raised in a family where individual personalities and issues often led to some dysfunction… particularly at the holidays.   My dad’s gregarious nature in making deep friends outside of family, and his alcoholism, could make him the life of the party. Or, it could make him a wrecking ball at family events, and too often, in my memories, unfortunately, it did.  I know I am not alone in memories of dysfunctional holiday family events… too many movies have been made for it not to be all too common.

The scriptures are not silent on this phenomena.  Proverbs 17:1 addresses many a Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner very succinctly I think

[Proverbs 17:1 NASB95] 1 Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it Than a house full of feasting with strife.

“….a house full of feasting with strife.”  Tell me Solomon had not visited a family holiday table!

What is the root of this?  Why is it so commonly true?  

When I ask that question, most of us can readily and easily point the finger at someone in our family, friends, or “dear” ones and say “they” seem to be the source of the “holiday dinner dynamite”  They need to change their attitude, or behavior, and the rest of us would be fine.  That may be well and true at least in part. But, it is also true that I, and I think most of us, would do well to spot the energy for discord, dysfunction, and dispute in our own nature to want things to be, or to go, the way that we want them to be, or turn out. We want it our way! And, we are less than grateful “for”, or to, that other “one / person”, never mind thankful “in”  the circumstances “they” have created or brought with them that aren’t what we wanted or dreamed of.  And certainly,  NEVER MIND BEING THANKFUL TO GOD for that person, and certainly not “in” these circumstances.  “I’d rather sit in a corner alone with a dry morsel. Thank you very much!” 

Back to the holiday table for a moment and the epistles on the giving of thanks. We Americans certainly have much to give thanks for.  And, as believers in Jesus, we have even more to fill our hearts, and our being, with gratitude regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in. That is why we are instructed to “in everything give thanks”. (1Thessalonians 5:18)  Not “for” everything give thanks, but “in” everything.”  

Philippians 4:16 qualifies this telling us how to do so, adding that you do it through prayer and supplication. Rather than being anxious about things you don’t, or can’t, control (ie: be Lord of/or over… which is effectively ” in everything”), turn to He that is Lord of everything.  And through prayer and supplication “with thanksgiving” let your request be made known to Him.   

[Philippians 4:6 NASB95] 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

I know this is somewhat of a generalization, but we are all just a bit selfish in wanting what we want when we get together with others. Anyone or group…. but particularly family.  I often think God, as a first priority, is, in our own families, and in our gatherings as the ekklesia, trying to make us understand the value of family, and all relationships. And, the value of that big commandment. You know, the New One, the only one Jesus gave us:  Love one another.

[John 13:34 NASB95] 34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

[John 15:12, 17 NASB95] 12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. … 17 “This I command you, that you love one another.

That command is also reiterated time and time again by disciples/apostles Peter (1 Peter 1:22)  and John (1 John 3:11, 3:23, 4:7, 4:11-12, & 2 John 1:5) , and Paul (Romans 13:18, I Thessalonians 4:9)

You see, until we learn the value of others, we cannot be grateful for them, and that God has drawn us into a relationship / fellowship / family with them for His purpose. And that understanding, and the gratitude that goes with it, is basic.  That is why John would also write:

[1John 1:3 NASB95] 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

It might be said that John saw the end of the gospel as drawing us into fellowship as a family. A fellowship the Father and the Son have enjoyed since eternity past. And, that very fellowship is now open to us with each other; and with and through the Father and the Son!

John would then follow up a bit later on this family concept calling us “children of God”:

[1John 3:1-2 NASB95] 1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and [such] we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

If that will not make you thankful to God, and thankful for your family and others, “heavenly” and otherwise, then I am not sure what will. 

Gratitude, Thanksgiving, to God, and for others He has drawn you into relationship with, is integral to faith in His sovereign purposes for you.   I taught my kids, as they were growing up, that people/relationships are important, because they are the only “stuff” of eternity we touch here. “They” are the only thing going to the other side with us, and, as such, are the only investment you can make that pays eternal dividends. The only treasure you can lay up in heaven is people, so invest deeply.   

If you read Ephesians, Paul, in chapters 4-6, deals with relationships, first in the church, then husbands and wives, then children and parents/fathers and children, then masters (employers) and slaves (employees). Then he says:

[Ephesians6:10-12 NASB95] 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual [forces] of wickedness in the heavenly [places.]

Note that out of this discussion of relationships he discusses  “the schemes of the devil” and says “our struggle is not with flesh and blood…”.  Why?   It is because he comprehends that relationships are exactly where the adversary will attack us and spread discord, disputes, dysfunction, disunity, (and holiday dinner dynamite) and destroy the fellowship, family, and love the Father so desires with us, and desires for us to have and enjoy corporately. 

The foundational attack, and root of discord, is our heart toward relationship with others. Ingratitude draws us into a challenged relationship with others. But perhaps even worse, it  can cause us to reject or dispute God’s sovereign purpose in our relationship with others,  And,  out of that, reject our relationship to the Father and the Son, not understanding Who He is and what He desires.  Romans 1:21 tracks the progression of not giving thanks to God and thanksgiving in relationships and circumstances with others.  The end of wanting our own way, instead of His and giving thanks in these relationships and circumstances,  is to be wise in our own eyes and become fools before Him, and to live in darkness of heart. 

[Romans 1:21-22 NASB95] 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations (KJV: vain in their imaginations) , and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,

So, rather than stumble into darkness, and darkness of heart, through wanting our own way, and our vain imaginations of how we want things to be or to turn out. And, thereby refusing to recognize and honor God’s sovereignty and being at work in us to will and work of His good pleasure (see Philippians 2:13-15 on proving to be children of God) in relationships and circumstances. And, then not giving Him thanks for what He is doing, even in relationships and circumstances those relationships may create. May we find ourselves turning to He that is the LORD of all,  and in everything, and with thanksgiving let our request (desire) be made known, while yet trusting He who is good, and always faithful in His love and is doing what is right.  

For your consideration in giving thanks. He is good; and His lovingkindness is everlasting…. it never fails:

.[1Chronicles 16:34 NASB] 34 O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

[Psalm 106:1 NASB] 1 Praise the LORD!Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

[Psalm 107:1 NASB] 1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

[Psalm 118:1, 29 NASB] 1 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;For His lovingkindness is everlasting. … 29 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

[Psalm 136:1, 3, 26 NASB] 1 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,For His lovingkindness is everlasting. … 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,For His lovingkindness is everlasting. … 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

[Jeremiah 33:11 NASB] 11 the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say,”Give thanks to the LORD of hosts,For the LORD is good,For His lovingkindness is everlasting”;and of those who bring a thank offering into the house of the LORD. For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first,’ says the LORD.

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It has often interested me that as Jesus looks out on these large crowds, and all kinds of astounding needs and conditions, He begins His comments by laying the foundation of the kingdom upon the base of poverty.  But,  not just any poverty, like the lack of health or the lack of material wealth He may have been looking at. He begins as his first comment, saying that if you are lacking in spirit, specifically “poor in spirit”, you are blessed and the kingdom of heaven is yours. 

[Matthew 5:3 NASB95] 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

It seems a kind of strange place to start, particularly in enumerating the blessed,  when so many are before Him with physical and material lacking and seemingly un-blessed.  Why was the first blessing and priority mentioned based on poverty and lacking,  and what does it mean to be “poor in spirit”?   I am not certain I fully understand, or that I am qualified to define it, but I do know that He is dealing with, as our first priority and disposition, our desperation to fully understand our need for Him, the Father, and the kingdom. We have to comprehend we are helplessly hopeless outside of Him. We are like children desperately dependent.

Desperately dependent children! That is what I think Jesus saw in those gathered before Him .  It wasn’t the satisfied, positioned, wealthy, and haughty He gazed out upon so much. But those without… without health, without position, without arrogance, without hope… without much of anything. So, he begins setting up the paradox, enigma, dichotomy that when we are without anything by which we can help ourselves, or without anything we have or anything we can do  to earn for ourselves or … more importantly, to and for or from God,  we are in the place of blessing.  The place where God can do the most in, for, and through us.  He does not need us. He does not need us to do to or for Him. He alone is God and the source of all things and sufficient unto Himself. 

To be poor is variously defined Biblically as reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms, making a living by begging. It is to be destitute of wealth, influence, position, or honor, lowly, afflicted, without virtue or riches worldly or eternal. It is to be helpless, powerless to  accomplish an end, needy, lacking in anything and everything.   

This is not a state we, in our Western mindset, ever aspire to.  And yet, in terms of “in spirit,  it is the key to possessing the kingdom of heaven. 

Spirit here is the Greek pneuma which Strong’s defines as a “movement of air”, or commonly “breath”.  Biblical usage of the term is in reference to the Holy Spirit; as well as the vital principal that animates the body giving life; and as the influence that governs the soul (and there are others).  So, I suppose a lot of time could be spent debating what is meant in this term here.  I am inclined, given the context of desperation Jesus is using here, to see it in a very literal sense as breath.  I cannot live without it, I am desperate for each one I take and that I am given.  It is at once very natural in my being and living by it,  and  yet , it is very supernatural in terms of my need and desperation for it. I am so dependent upon it that I cannot exist without its source, although I do not fully know where the next one will come from. I can do nothing without it!

The New American Standard Version gives a very interesting interpretive footnote at the word “poor” in Matthew 5:3.  It says: i.e. those who are not spiritually arrogant . Generally the NASB renders these footnotes as literal translations, but this is not labeled as such here. But I find it an extremely interesting interpretation in that my own experience has been, and in counseling others I have found, and in many biblical character studies as well; It definitely comes out that when you think you know it all, God has a very consistent tendency, and way, of revealing to you that you, being wise in your own eyes, do not in fact know much at all.    

Many of the warnings to the churches in John’s Revelation speak to this kind of arrogance of spirit leading to failing, but perhaps none more so than this to the Laodiceans:

[Revelation 3:17-18 NASB95] 17 ‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and [that] the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

Oh!… that we may comprehend our ongoing need of Him and His full provision, not relying on our own understanding or own inspiration for direction. We need to hear His voice, and see His revelations. 

When we lean on our own understanding we negate the necessity of hearing from and knowing Him. (Consider, perhaps, the recent exhortation in this space regarding drawing from and feeding from the tree of life as His original intent, rather than desiring knowledge from the tree or the knowledge of good and evil outside His purpose.) We need Him, to hear from  and feed from Him. 

[John 5:37-40 NASB95] 37 “And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. 38 “You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. 39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

They did not recognize Him, nor their need of Him, when He was right in front of them. And, He was bearing the Father’s testimony and revelation regarding Himself.  When we compare the Pharisees (and scribes and Sadducees, for that matter) who overlooked Jesus, because they trusted what they knew and could intellectually figure out instead of comprehending their need of Him and the life that was in Him, with Jesus attitude in His ministry, we see this poor in spirit element in a new light.   By comparison Jesus would say of Himself that He was totally dependent on His Father.

[John 5:26-27, 30-32, 37-40 NASB95] 26 “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; 27 and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is [the] Son of Man. … 

30 “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 31 “If I [alone] testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. 32 “There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true. … 

(and again) 37 “And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form. 38 “You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. 39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

Out of this kind of relationship and dependency on His Father Jesus would say to his disciples…and to us

[John 15:4-5 NASB95] 4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither [can] you unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

(read also  of how Jesus  emptied Himself in Philippians 2:5-8, and how the apostle encourages us to that same position/attitude – and ask yourself is this being poor in spirit?  He laid down all He had, not tightly grasping, holding on to, His equality with God to take on the form of a man, a bond servant.  He was dependent on His Father in His purpose even unto death on a cross.) 

I have often cited Ephesians 1:21-22 which indicates  that the church is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all.  But we must be empty, if we are to hold His fullness. We must be desperately in need of His life, His breath/Spirit to fill us and animate us in His purpose. 

This kind of desperate dependence on Him,  desperately desiring to know Him, be like Him, manifest Him and His life, knowing and comprehending our/my need of Him like the next breath.  This is, I think, to be poor in spirit.  But the riches  in exchange are to find the fullness of the kingdom of heaven is yours under His Lordship.

I sometimes watch my son, who has 5 boys (age 12-2), and I marvel at their love, trust, and need for him as Daddy. Even when He disciplines them.  They are oblivious to much around them in the world, but they naturally comprehend his love, and their need of him. And, they somehow, supernaturally, know He will provide all they need for life. 

Let us have the heart and mind of helplessly hopeless little children in desperate need of everything… calling out Abba Father… and  coming to His arms ….as even unto the tree of life.

[Matthew 19:14 NASB95] 14 But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

[Mark 10:14 NASB95] 14 But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

[Luke 18:16 NASB95] 16 But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

[Matthew 18:1-4 NASB95] 1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

[Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17 NASB95] 8 The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. 9 Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. … 

15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. 16 The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.“

Right in the midst of this beautiful garden were planted these two trees, one evidently holding life in its fruit, the other holding death. 

Access to all trees, every tree, was freely given…. BUT the caveat of eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was its fruit would bring death. 

In Genesis 3 we see that man, in Eve, completely understood the truth of  the commandment had been spoken by YHWH (LORD, the I AM, God who will be whatever He needs to be in order to be faithful covenant/love) Elohim (God, the creator), as she is confronted by the father of lies in the garden.  Let us first note that all these trees God planted were pleasing to the sight and good for food (vs 2: 9). And then let us  ask: Just what was the attraction that made one take and eat and harvest death? 

[Genesis 3:1-6 NASB95] 1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any (every)  tree of the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make [one] wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

The lie was not bound up in it being a delight to the eye or tasty for food.  Eve indeed saw that, and that had already been established  by God from the beginning. But, God had also declared its fruit held death. So, again, what was the attraction? 

The father of lies said His (God’s) word is not true “You surely will not die”  and that lie was enhanced with giving the tree’s fruit an attribute that was evidently irresistible to man/her: a wisdom to be God or, at least,  very like Him.  “ you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”   The scripture says “the woman saw” as God had intended “it was a delight to the eyes”, and what He did not say or intend “AND that it was desirable to make wise…” This attribute was patently obvious by its very name “the knowledge of good and evil”.  But, buying the lie, and desiring to be God, she ignores that the knowledge inside the fruit also carried with it tasting death.

The interesting thing to consider is that in the full and free provision of the Garden was all that was needed to live well and eternally.

The tree of life was also there in the midst of the garden and accessible. 

I have shared with many before that both trees in the midst were accessible, but only this one carried with it a command with consequence. “you shall not eat,… for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.“  Concerning the tree of life He gave no command, beyond that of all the other trees of the garden:“From any tree of the garden you may eat freely.”    I believe that to be the case because the perfect cannot be commanded. 

He, God, was not looking for children who would come to Him only under the command of “Because, I said so!”, but children who would seek Him, be drawn to Him, and obey Him with submission gained by love.   In the tree of life, a type of Christ I think, was all that we needed pertaining to life eternal and Godliness; being like Him eternal in being and alive in Him without fear of death. 

It is an enigma, and somewhat (a great deal) ironic, that in the temptation and resulting drive/desire to be like God and have all knowledge, initiated by the lie, we paid a price that cost us what we desired.  By bringing sin by disobedience to His word/truth and its penalty, death, with it to ourselves, the result  made us absolutely nothing like a living and eternal God.  

The lie was established in “You surely will not die!”  However, there was some truth in the serpent’s statement  “you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  But, that enhancement of the initial lie with a bit of truth held no life in it,  and certainly no blessing. In fact, it might be said that the desire aroused in seeing that fruit as desirable, in the quest to have the knowledge of good and evil outside of God’s purpose, has driven men to all kinds of hatred and depravity in a search to be wise in their own eyes and to be god unto themselves.  

God in omniscience knew this and made provision, truly out of love and in mercy,  to protect us from ourselves then guarded (not blocked) the way to the tree of life in the garden.  (Guarded, because He would later restore full access, as we shall see.)

[Genesis 3:22-24 NASB95] 22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever“– 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.

Romans 1 gives us a clearer picture of what functioning in a fallen state driven by a desire to be wise in our own eyes, designing and fashioning our own god(s), and by the knowledge of evil and lust for what we call, or mistakenly define, as life is like. 

[Romans 1:18-25 NASB95] 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

I have offered only these verses from Romans 1, but I suggest you also peruse verses 26-32 for a very accurate description of our time and culture today that is described there by the suppression of the truth in unrighteousness. 

This passage is pertinent. Adam and Eve knew the truth, but suppressed it. God had made Himself known and evident to them.  But knowing Him, they still became futile in the speculation about who they could be and what they could know and do.  Professing and desiring to be wise they became fools and exchanged the glory of God in the tree of life for what was offered in the lie regarding knowledge and being like God.  And, although this passage outlines the worship of idols in wood and stone which men today may not prostrate themselves before literally.   They still worship the gods represented and embodied in those idols seeking sex, wealth, power, more knowledge, their intellect, and making themselves god (again see Romans 1:26-32), and would clone themselves into immortality if they could. In fact they are trying in many ways to do just that. 

Lest we dwell only on the tree that brought death, let us turn back to the tree of life (pun intended)!  

The tree of life was available from the beginning there in the garden.  I believe/think  the Lord’s desire was for man to come to it all along.  But, He was not going to force or command him to do so. Again, the perfect cannot be commanded or forced. It is chosen from love, and submission, in His Kingdom, is gained by love.  He draws us to Himself, He does not force us to love Him. To the degree you see/comprehend, understand the fullness of God’s love in Christ Jesus, to that same degree will you submit/bow the knee to His Lordship. That principle was working in the garden and still is.  If man had but come to the tree of life He would have found fullness of life and provision in intimate ongoing fellowship with God the Father right there. Obviously its fruit held not just life, but life eternal.  The tree of life was not blocked, but guarded, after the fall. Guarded so that,  by His mercy,  we might still find life eternal in the midst or His paradise and provision, in His fellowship, rather than in a fallen state enduring evil forever that would separate us from Him.  Jesus is the tree of life! He was that tree in the garden that makes eternal life in intimate and ongoing fellowship with the Father, and full provision in Him, available. By God’s mercy the tree Jesus died and shed His blood upon took away sin, death, and evil, that we might have life, and have life abundantly without evil, sin, and death in the world.

Peter encourages us in Jesus’ provision of all we need pertaining to life and godliness being in Him. And, that provision has lifted us out of the corruption that came into the world by our lust, if you will, for knowledge and to be like Him through our own devices.  In Jesus we become, finally, partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption of the knowledge of good and evil, by and through the knowledge of Him. Knowledge that He alone reveals and draws us to by love. 

[2Peter 1:2-4 NASB95] 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of [the] divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust..

Oh how glorious was, and is, the plan of God to restore to us the tree of life in Jesus. And, by feeding on Him, to give us eternal life and make us “partakers” of His divine nature. 

To the church of Ephesus the Lord spoke in John’s Revelation of Jesus Christ that He knew of their work and perseverance/faithfulness and they did not tolerate evil men. But He chided them for leaving their first love. Then the Tree of Life shows up in Revelation for the first of several mentions.

It was in Genesis, it is in John’s Revelation of Jesus Christ as well:

[Revelation 2:7 NASB95] 7 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’

Notice that to those who overcome (in Jesus ) He will grant access to eat of the tree of life! The guard is removed and access to eat from the tree of life is restored!  And, note it is restored in the Paradise of God.   A place of comfort, beauty, pure intimate ongoing fellowship, and provision and without evil or death. The restoration of creation, the restoration of all things in the tree of life. 

Again, in Revelation, at the very end of the book the tree of life makes several appearances as the revelation of the restoration of relationship of God with His redeemed and beloved is outlined.  Revelation describes the Bride of the Lamb (the redeemed) as a beautiful city the New Jerusalem:  [Revelation 21:9-11 NASB95] 9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. 

And in Revelation 22 the tree of life is again integral in this restoration, and the fellowship the saints enjoy from it, and drawing near the throne and presence of He that loves us and has redeemed us in His purpose. 

[Revelation 22:1-5 NASB95] 1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve [kinds of] fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; 4 they will see His face, and His name [will be] on their foreheads. 5 And there will no longer be [any] night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.

In verse 14 we see the tree of life, again unguarded, and that having the right/authority to access it also brings access to the city itself. You may enter the gates of the city to be inhabitants in His presence without guilt, or shame, but in the fullness of His redeeming and restorative love.   Those without righteousness robes in Christ have no access.  He is the tree of life and the key to access to inhabiting and being comfortable in the city of God’s glory and presence. 

[Revelation 22:14-15 NASB95] 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

Finally the Revelation of Jesus Christ ends with a warning about misleading anyone through taking away anything in this revelation. But, the good news implied here is that access to the tree of life is available, as is the holy city at the invitation of the Spirit and the Bride say “Come!”

[Revelation 22:17-19 NASB95] 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. 18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.

Jesus is the tree of life in Genesis, Jesus is the tree of life in Revelation.  Access to the tree of life is restored in Him. Come and dine with Him. In fact, dine on Him and find full provision for life and godliness, and restoration of fellowship with the Father.  Become partakers of the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world, which drove and still drives us out of the garden.  Eternal life is in eating the fruit of the tree of life and it provides the way to restoration to walking on the fullness of His presence and provision in His purpose in Jesus. 

Also for consideration if you care to:

Mixing metaphors a bit here. But, John 6 outlines that eternal life comes from eating the fruit from the tree of life… that is Jesus. As I said, I believe that was always God’s desire from the garden.  It is not found in that which looks desirable to make one wise and be like God, and by trusting your own understanding and effort.  That comes for the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that bears death.

[John 6:46-48, 50-58 NASB95] 46 “Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 “I am the bread of life. … 

50 “This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” 52 Then the Jews [began] to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us [His] flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 “For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 “This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.”

In reference to temple worship there were many elements and pieces of equipment that had to be cleansed and set apart for the service of worship.  These elements alone were to be used for worship, and, after each service, required cleansing for their next use. This gives us a bit of a picture of the ongoing nature of sanctification.  More on that later here.

A year ago in August  I wrote here regarding the tension we see in the creation, and in the Spirit, between light and darkness. And, about our call to be light bearers.  (You can read that complete article in the archived blog – August 24, 2024).  I wanted to revisit that article somewhat  again here today because in it the idea of how we, when we are in fellowship with each other, are used of the Spirit in helping to sanctify each other was touched upon.  Art Mealer, a brother in our fellowship, had some interesting insight into this process in his book The Servant Community/Experiencing The Promise Ekklesia.    Here is an excerpt from that post and his book

….. ( I wrote) …… furthermore, I will meddle in the business of some believers here; I believe the desire to hide in darkness  is a primary reason people avoid fellowship in Christian community.  Please note: I said in Christian community.  You can “go” to most traditional Christian “church services” and “do” your duty and “put in your time” and stay hidden and covered.  But if you are to “be” a part of an open and participatory gathering, and an expression of His body; a community committed to one another and moving in relationship to one another through the Head, Jesus, His light will come to drive out darkness and sometimes uncover our secrets.  You see He is still separating darkness and light! And, we are in the world as light bearers, not only to the world, but sometimes for and to one another  

If you are like me, and many others. It is a real challenge at times to see, or understand, yourself as being a bearer of light, because you still find so much darkness in yourself.  Yet, the truth is we need each other. He has designed us to need fellowship with one another in order to be exposed to His light.  This  was pointed out to me again this week as I read a segment of a book my friend Art Mealer is writing called THE SERVANT COMMUNITY / Experiencing The Promise of Ekklesia which addressed this. I share a few sentence of an excerpt here (underlines are mine for emphasis):

The process of God revealing Himself to us and revealing to us our worst selves has a participative nature, not just between God and us in our prayer closet. We need one another to help us discern between God’s voice and our vain imaginations. This process is personal but it is not private. With the help of one another, we can welcome His light intruding into the recesses of our hearts to expose our faults. A permission-giving life of “yes,” answering each new exposure with acceptance and confession brings shared joy and peace. This cleansing teachableness that brings peace is the tension of ongoing sanctification: the universe of the “one another’s” of the community are brought to bear, building each other up to wholeness.

If we refuse, He will let us turn away. We must not let hiding become the pattern of our lives. We must guard one another from fear. Like children, thinking if we can’t see Him, He can’t see us. But there is no darkness in which we can hide. Instead of a grateful string of obedient yesses, our life can degenerate into a bitter and unending “no” to His advances. We must not resist being humbled and corrected, be willing to give in to Him, and admit to others how deeply sin has a grip on us.

Against this love of darkness is our willingness to be exposed to light, our desire to be stripped of another layer revealing treasured sins, and our twisted love of self. We assist others in stepping out of the shadows into His light, removing another layer of resistant sin from their shoulders. Jesus described this shadowed heart as the fatal flaw of the lost:

“AND THIS IS THE CONDEMNATION, THAT LIGHT IS COME INTO THE WORLD, AND MEN LOVED DARKNESS RATHER THAN LIGHT, BECAUSE THEIR DEEDS WERE EVIL. FOR EVERY ONE THAT DOETH EVIL HATETH THE LIGHT, NEITHER COMETH TO THE LIGHT, LEST HIS DEEDS SHOULD BE REPROVED.”  —Jesus, John 3:19-20

The light exposes my ugliness both to myself and to others. Light wounds my pride and kills the enjoyment of lust for power, pleasures, and possessions. Like nothing else, light also heals my troubled heart, making me clean again, standing close to Him. With an eternal perspective, our temporary embarrassment means little. We are seated safely in the heavens. He puts in us a desire for Him, and with each embrace of His piercing light, we also find His comforting presence. Let’s encourage one another as we—though presently misshapen, though imperfectly understanding—together conformed to the image of His dear Son who loves us and gave himself for us.

(I wrote:) Wow! How He moves in us, even as imperfect lamps, to show His light, and to shed the light His glory, to each other and the world around us; and to drive back the darkness.  Let us be given to being open and honest before Him, for He sees in the dark anyway. And, may we be open to receiving light through one another to drive back darkness, or shame, that would cause us to hide from His presence, or forsake assembling with one another in Him. …..

That was a refreshing step back into looking at how the LORD uses light to drive back and drive out darkness. And how He sometimes, or even often, uses believers as the vessel to shine His light and glory through.   Now consider all that in reference to the process and work of the Spirit in sanctification. 

While there is an aspect of one and done cleansing for the believer in Jesus.  We have been saved and sanctified in Him/Jesus once and for all in the Spirit. There is, in that sense, nothing we can do to be more saved from the penalty of sin (death), more set apart unto Him for service, or to become more righteous (guiltless) for His purpose.  In the Spirit that work is secure and complete because of Jesus and what He alone has done. It is finished! It is complete. Our work(s) will add nothing to it. 

However,  in another sense, or aspect, sanctification in our soul – minds, will and emotions {our minds (thoughts/intellect), will (decision making over who rules and gets their way in situations) , and emotions (how we feel in situations and the reactions associated with that)} – is ongoing as we mature in Him and are transformed from glory to glory into His image. Both individually as a believer, and corporately as His body, the church, the fullness of Him that fills all in all.

And, in our physical body, there is no doubt, from anybody over age 35, that we are not getting better or complete, but are deteriorating.  Yet the hope before us is that even this physical part of us is to be complete and set apart perfect as well. 

Without going into a long exposition of this sanctification process. Let me be clear that the scriptures are replete with references to this being a process the Holy Spirit takes up in us as He moves in; and that the Holy Spirit uses the truth, the word of God, to do it. The word of God coming from the scriptures, of course.  But, also in  that which He often delivers and reveals  through others to us as well. 

Yes “teachers”, or “elders”, mentors etc.  but not only those we perceive wear those titles alone.  Often, in fact I would say MOST OFTEN, it may come though, or in, those that are simply brothers and sisters in fellowship and family we share and experience life in Him with.   This work of sanctification by process I believe may be the primary work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer, that He may keep Him prepared for service in Christ.  And, in fellowship with “one another is the place where we will most often find opportunity to be used in service and have light shown on us.  Sometimes light reveals our talents and willingness to be servants. Sometimes,  however, it may reveal  issues or areas hiding some darkness needing exposure to light.   

As our brother Art said in his book:  We need one another to help us discern between God’s voice and our vain imaginations. This process is personal but it is not private. And …..we can welcome His light intruding into the recesses of our hearts to expose our faults. A permission-giving life of “yes,” answering each new exposure with acceptance and confession brings shared joy and peace. This cleansing teachableness that brings peace is the tension of ongoing sanctification: the universe of the “one another’s” of the community are brought to bear, building each other up to wholeness.

May we be open and experience hearing and discerning His voice in fellowship with, and in service to, one another in ways that lead to victory over vain imaginations and areas of darkness we may struggle with. Even as He transforms us from one degree of glory to the next into His image as we gaze at in His word and at it revealed in others in His body.  

 Selah!

Here are a few scriptures regarding the Spirit and the work/process of sanctification in our soulish-man.  

·      Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass 1^st Thessalonians 5:23-24

 Comment: We are triune, just as He is.  We are “spirit” – that part which holds life itself and communes with God, “and soul” – our mind, will and emotions, “and body” – this physical shell that houses spirit and soul and is decaying but will one day, in His purposes, be perfected.

·      But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 2^nd Thessalonians  2:13 

Comment: Sanctification by the Spirit with the truth accompanies salvation by grace through faith.

·      “Now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are truth, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant. 2^nd Samuel 7:28

·      “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. John 17:17

·      Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God 2^ND Corinthians 6:11

·      Peter stood up and said to them, “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.  Acts 15:7-9

·      Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, Ephesians 5:25-26

Comment:  As Christ loved and chose the church as His bride, and give Himself to sanctify her with the washing water ( water-often symbolising the Spirit) with the word.  So the Spirit continues to set us apart for service with or applying the word to us.

·      Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 1^ST Peter 1:2

·      But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2nd Corinthians 3:18

Comment:  Even as Moses face shined with glory after beholding/receiving the word/law, so are we to shine, as we behold in the mirror (symbolically: mirror = the word) the glory/image of Jesus, and the Spirit transforms us from glory to glory into His image so that we reveal Him to each other, the world around us, and principalities and powers in heavenly places.   The context of 1^st Corinthians 3 indicates although Moses’ glory, derived from looking at the word/law inscribed on stone, fadee;  Ours never will because of the indwelling Spirit and His work with the word/Jesus  inscribed on our hearts that we gaze into.

These and other scriptures indicate the new covenant work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification is ongoing.  Although we have been cleansed from sin, and a fallen nature, in our spiritual man by grace through faith in the finished redemptive work of Christ, and that work is complete and finished.  The sanctification of our souls – mind, will, and emotions – is ongoing, and our bodies will yet, on that day, be perfected.  This ongoing work of sanctification is done by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us through the redemptive work of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is renewing us daily by using the truth/the word of God, both that written in the scriptures and that which is now written on our heart as promised in the new covenant we walk out with Him and with others. 

Your answers to such questions most likely have been developed by what “Christian” tradition you were raised around or in, and by your own experience.  

As for me (Randy) personally.  I will tell you there is not much mystery to faith for me. Issues surrounding such questions were pretty much settled for me years ago as I began to take a look at the difference between faith and presumption in the late 70’s and early 80’s. This was a time when I was in a more traditional leadership/pastoral role, and having to deal with several believers who had been wounded by other believers who saddled them with burdens and guilt for “not having enough” or  ” a lack of”, etc, faith. These believers that wounded other believers, I think probably were well meaning, but had been caught up in the so-called “faith/prosperity”  teaching  movements where they were given formulas for supposedly “operating in faith”, that turned the scriptures into an instruction manual on how to “work” God.  Not to get off into the weeds of doctrinal argument here but,  We don’t work God!  He works us, or I should say, works in, through, and with us.

I can remember one prominent teacher of the times being quoted as saying  “God is a fool for His word! You quote and confess it and He has to perform it!”  Well, may I say here, God is nobody’s fool! And, He does not perform at our whim, nor is He bound by our desires, no matter how good or perfect or noble they may seem to us.  He is at work, in us, to will and to do His good pleasure. (See Philippians 2:13 where the apostle makes it clear that, even in the midst of trial and persecution, God is working IN us). I don’t know about you, but I have no desire to serve a God who is a fool for anything or anyone, and/or can be manipulated by me like He is my puppet if I just say or think the right recipe of abracadabra.

In ministry to many people/believers over those years, as well as searching the whole counsel of His word in the scriptures,  I came to discover the difference between faith and presumption.  Simply put, we might say: Yes, true faith is dependent upon His word. But it is initiated by what He speaks/reveals in the now. Not by what I speak or think. Presumption, on other hand, is based in and on me putting words in His mouth, by what I think or think I understand, and expecting Him to perform accordingly.   Faith is not presumption.  Faith is based on hearing Him reveal His will. Presumption is based upon presuming, or assuming, I know His will based on what I think, or think I understand, rather than what He has spoken/revealed. John’s  instruction on prayer gives us some insight.

[1John 5:14-15 NASB95] 14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us [in] whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

John says here  that if we ask according to His will…. we can know we will have what we have requested. This makes it clear that if we are  praying His known will our petition will be effective.  This does not mean that you can never petition Him based on your own desires. Even Jesus in the garden prayed “If possible, let this cup pass… nevertheless Your will, not mine”.  But, it does mean you can have no expectation that what your desire will be manifested. To think so, or count it as accomplished because you asked, is presumption. Faith is based on knowing His will from having heard His voice/revelation.   

As I have shared many times, Roman 10:17 tells us faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word (rhema/spoken revelation) of or concerning Christ. The outworking of hearing is faith. The outworking of faith is obedience. The outworking of obedience is seeing the fulfillment of that which He has promised or spoken to you about.  

In Luke Jesus has just finished up the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus  (Luke 16:19-31)  where the rich man in Hades  begs Father Abraham to send Lazarus as a messenger to his brothers in a last ditch effort to save them from his agony and fate saying:

[Luke 16:30-31 NASB95] 30 “But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!‘ 31 “But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’“

Pretty poignant isn’t it? Here is Jesus who is the embodiment of the word of God in the Law and Prophets -“ Moses and the Prophets” – who is being rejected. And, Jesus who will also be rejected by most as the messenger who is risen from the dead –“rises from the dead”

You see God speaks! And, when He does, or has, there is faith initiated. But, if you will not/do not listen, even a miracle you see will not persuade or bring you to repent. 

Going on in Luke 17 Jesus first addresses the seriousness of becoming a stumbling block to those that would hear and believe.  He speaks of giving offense using the Greek term skandalon, or literally a bent stick. Something that people will trip over, or in that time (or even in our modern mousetrap)  a bent stick that was used to set or to spring a trap.  Jesus was a kind of skandalon in truth that the religiously self righteous could,  and did, trip over.  But, He was most likely warning of the danger of purposely misleading or dividing others by false teaching here.  Then, He warns of holding on to resentment  and unforgiveness against others that may have given us offense. In His instruction about rebuking (going openly and honestly) to those that stumble us/others or give us offense, and forgiving them, Jesus is showing how self destructive bottling up resentment is to us, and how broad our willingness to forgive must be.  

Randy, you say,  how did we get off into forgiveness, when we were talking about faith?  

It is this: That is the context here. And, our faith is most often walked out in relationships and communication in them. First, with Him. Then, with and through others.  The disciples’ response to this is “Increase our faith!” as they recognized great faith was needed to walk these instructions out.  Getting along with people, serving people, loving people, not offending people, forgiving people that offend you, bringing people to repentance over and over, these are the works of the Spirit through a disciple and servant of Jesus. And they are seemingly tough tasks requiring the command, direction, and input from the Master and enabled by the Spirit. {Ephesians chapters 4-6 outlines the battlefield of spiritual warfare as relationships – other people & believers/husbands & wives/children & parents/employers & employee, ending up with(We wrestle not against flesh and blood -Ephesians 6:12)}

[Luke 17:5-9 NASB95] 5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you. 7 “Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat’? 8 “But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and [properly] clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink’? 9 “He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he?

In response to their request to increase their faith, Jesus gives them a story of a servant, and begins with an analogy of seed and trees. 

When I first read this as a young believer it seemed an ill fitted answer.  But, what became abundantly apparent, after considering His answer over time, was that what He was actually pointing out was that their ability to forgive was not based in the size of their faith, or even growing it larger or to be more. It was based in and on what He had spoken and commanded of them. 

When he spoke of the mustard seed, the smallest of seeds, He was not talking of the size, but simply saying: if you have any faith at all you can do this.  And, YOU CAN because I have spoken to you to do so.  It is not the size of your faith, it is “have you heard Me speak?”.  If He has spoken there is faith. If He hasn’t there isn’t. He enables you by His word. 

It is also interesting  to consider that a mustard seed, as small as it is, has been enabled to, comparatively, move mountains! Note He did not say if you have faith the “size of” (although that may have been implied), but “like a” mustard seed. This little seed is buried under the ground, a mound/mountain, comparatively, of dirt, and yet pushes its way up and out becoming a great bush. Just as the most difficult relationships, and restoration of them, is a great miracle coming from small beginnings and often through hard struggle and trial. Jesus indeed is a seed buried to bring restoration of relationship with the Father and bear much fruit.

In Luke 17 He speaks also of the Mulberry tree.  I read in one commentary that the Mulberry is said to have strong and deep roots, and is hard to move. Much like the depth and strength of bitterness and unforgiveness we often harbor. And yet, the smallest degree of faith, in fact, any at all based on what He has spoken to us, results in enablement to rip it up and cast it to the sea of forgetfulness.  Forgiving hurt, offense, wrongdoing, injury … Nothing is perhaps more difficult to forgive. But, it is what Jesus made an example of in Himself, and what He enables us to do by His word to us.  He, as seed falling to the ground and dying , again, brings forth much and great fruit.  

Faith initiated by the word of a great God accomplishes great things, great restoration, great relationships. Faith is focused on He that spoke to initiate it, not the servant who responds in obedience. 

As Jesus continues turning to the story of the servant He speaks of slaves – those that are laboring for, with, and in service to, the Master. He speaks of plowing and tending sheep. This is hard work done to feed and clothe, provide for the needs of others, not himself.  Great works given him by the Master to do. Note, Jesus is speaking to His disciples, about service, not about works unto salvation. 

By indicating that the Master does not comfort or compliment the servant/slave when he comes in from the field or flock saying “come sit and eat” He makes it obvious the service he has done was only what the Master expected of the servant. And, He takes it one step farther showing that the Master’s expectation was that the servant would continue to serve the Master, as his first priority, as the Master speaks – “Prepare something for me to eat, and [properly] clothe yourself and serve me”.   The servant is ever listening and ready to put the Master’s will and pleasure ahead of His own.  

I don’t believe Jesus’ intent here is to make the Master out to be an ogre or hard taskmaster, but to make the point that faith to serve Him, and the Father, as Master is a matter of relationship and listening to His voice.  He will enable and strengthen for the work He commands and gives to you to do. AND, He will provide a time and place to rest and eat as a part of His household, “and afterward you may eat and drink”.

Finally Jesus’ parable ends with: 9 “He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he?”  His point is, again, faith is initiated in what He has spoken and its  end is simple service from obedience based in love. We are not serving for compliments, reward, or to earn salvation or anything.  Next to, or compared to, all He has done for us, all  we have done has come from His empowerment and enabling, and out of His grace extended to us making us His own, and of His household.  

This is particularly salient when taken in the context of faith for forgiveness and the enablement to forgive it at His word and command. There are still sheep to tend, fields to plow… relationships to move in, bringing forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration between ourselves and others, and others in relationship to our Master. 

When Jesus wraps up this story and instruction regarding faith with vers10 “So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done [only] that which we ought to have done.” He is not trying to run us, as His disciples, down, nor inspire us to some sort of worm like thinking of false humility.  He is simply indicating that as He humbled Himself to serve the Father’s purpose, and serve us, in love for the Father and us, bringing restoration of relationship and forgiveness. So, are we now called and enabled to do the same in Him,  in faith that is initiated by His word/command.  

It is not a matter of how much faith. It is a matter of having any at all, by way of hearing His command and direction to us as our Lord and Master. 

The debate often moves into a discussion of: Is Jesus’ gospel, the “gospel of salvation”, or “the gospel of the Kingdom”. 

The answer may be simply: BOTH. 

The thief on the cross speaks to one side of this equation (if you haven’t seen Alistair Begg’s video on this watch it here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrYsXPntRS4)  Salvation indeed depends only on what Jesus did, and has done and accomplished on our behalf.   However, I could also post many other videos from the likes of John MacArthur and many others, and books by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and others, on the Cost of Discipleship that would convince anyone that if you are saved, but simply sitting comfy in your salvation alone, you probably have reason to question whether you know Jesus or comprehend His Lordship and Kingdom. 

Don’t get me wrong.  I am no proponent of so-called easy “believe-ism” that has come to be the accepted norm in the Western culture church. You know generally identified with what we see in traditional altar calls and “making a decision for Christ” in a moment where you say a repeat-after-me-prayer, and walk away unchanged nor regenerated.  But, neither am I a proponent of the pharisaical approach that adds layers of legalistic weight to what it takes to be “holy or righteous enough” in your own efforts to be called a disciple.  The moment we start depending on our efforts for, or to keep, our salvation, we begin to build works as the basis for righteousness. Jesus never sugar coated the cost of following Him, but neither did he add much beyond “follow me” by way of rule and regulation. 

I will not go into a long dissertation on, or dissection of, the sides of this question but to say I think much of the debate comes from our need of understanding that Salvation by grace is Free, but Discipleship is Costly! (In fact, it will probably cost you all you are and all you have).  You see as Jesus was called to, and did, lay His glory and His life down to pick up a cross in the will of the Father for our salvation. So are we called to lie down ourselves and pick up our cross (living focused on dying to self to live unto and in Him) to serve His will, and others. 

Is it any wonder that in Matthew 6 after preaching regarding giving to the poor, prayer for the Kingdom and the will of God to be manifested on earth, displaying hypocrisy in religious activity like fasting and prayer,  putting value in treasure for heaven (people and relationships) instead of earthly/worldly wealth, and laying down anxiety and concern over daily provision (what we are to eat, drink or wear), Jesus summed it all up with:

[Matthew 6:33 NASB95] 33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Seek here is to “continually seek”.  What?  “His kingdom”, to live under His LORDship as King, as His bond-slave and servant/disciple. And, “His righteousness”, trusting in, having confidence only in, the salvation/holiness/righteousness that are only in Him and not initiated by us, or what we have done. But, that are initiated in His love, and complete in what He has done. In giving this direction He holds up both salvation and discipleship, hand in hand, as the way to full provision for each day…. and eternity. 

Ephesians 2:4-10 helps flesh out our understanding of salvation…. and the works of a disciple:

[Ephesians 2:4-10 NASB95] 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Paul makes it very clear to the church here that we had nothing to do with initiating the faith that ignited the work of regeneration in us.   In fact, we were dead!  Dead men can do nothing!  He/God in his abundantly rich mercy, and because of His love for us,  even as we were dead… began the resurrection process or regeneration to make us alive …. WITH Christ.  By His grace we have come to salvation and been placed IN Jesus .  All, that He might reveal the fullness of His grace, kindness, love in Jesus.

Please note… that the faith, you have been saved through by His grace, is not created, worked up, caused by, or initiated in you. It is His gift!   So salvation by grace through faith is indeed FREE! Praise His name and His purpose in Jesus!  Romans provides more on this:

[Romans 6:23 NASB95] 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

[Romans 3:21-24 NASB95] 21 But now apart from the Law [the] righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even [the] righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

NOW …. Back to Ephesians 2.  Everyone loves to quote verses 8-9 regarding salvation “by grace through faith”.  But nobody quotes verse 10 which makes it clear that we were NOT saved just from something, namely sin and death. But, we were saved unto something, namely “good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them”.  From eternity past the Father’s plan was that we should be “made alive together WITH Christ “, ” raised (us) up WITH Him”, “seated (us) WITH Him in heavenly places”, so that the Father/God might show His grace in kindness toward us IN Christ Jesus” for we are His/God’s/Father’s workmanship specifically “created IN Him(Jesus) for good works” as Jesus’ servants/disciples. 

Salvation is Free, and came WITH Christ setting us free from the bondage of sin and death. But the discipleship that came with being alive in, and bound (enslaved) to, Him, for His righteousness and eternal life IN Him, is costly.  It cost Him His life on the cross. It will cost ours in daily picking up our cross and following Him as well. Resurrection life only comes out of death.

[Romans 6:20-22 NASB95] 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. 22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved (bound)to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

Being His bond-slave, a slave willingly submitted to Him because of the fullness of His love, reaps eternal rewards, life, and benefits. So Salvation is Free.  Discipleship is costly.  

In Luke 14 Jesus wraps up the parable of the dinner saying

[Luke 14:23-24 NASB95] 23 “And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel [them] to come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 ‘For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.'” 

Clearly an invitation to dinner/salvation to those that were originally not on the guest list. 

And right after this He gives the most astounding and harsh outline of the cost required of true discipleship.

[Luke 14:25-235NASB95]25 Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, HE CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE. 27 “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE. 28 “For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and CALCULATE THE COST to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 “Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 “Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand [men] to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 “Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 “So then, NONE OF YOU CAN BE MY DISCIPLE  who does not give up all his own possessions. 34 “Therefore, salt is good; but IF SALT HAS BECOME TASTELESS, with what will it be seasoned? 35 “IT IS USELESS either for the soil or for the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

3 times in this short passage He references.. “unless…. you cannot be my disciple”, and He urges those that would be His followers to count and consider the costs, then He references salt that has become useless. This passage should give us pause if we are tempted to uncouple salvation that is free from discipleship that is costly. Jesus offers, indeed, a salvation that is free, but He does not give us the option of discipleship without costs to go with it. 

Both Salvation that is free, and Discipleship that is Costly are a part of the full gospel Jesus preached, manifested, and lived in loving the Father, and serving the will and purpose of the Father, and loving us.  Both are also a part of the full gospel we, as His disciples (not to mention His Body and he fullness of Him)  are called to preach, manifest, and live in loving and serving Him and others