"....It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves....and His truth endures to all generations." (Psalm 100:3b, 5c)
The Message paraphrase says, "He made us; we didn't make Him." Operate from this premise, and we will never be out of Christ's will. Most modern translations translate, "truth," in the second part of our text as, "faithfulness." I see little difference. Revelation 19 says, "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war." Or, as Jesus said, "I am...the truth."
What we are witnessing on a national and global scale today is the attempt to "make Him," and in that attempt a not so subtle endeavor to amalgamate truth and righteousness with particular cultures, genders, ethnic groups and personal philosophies. This is counterfeit truth. In it is a battle for control, for who rules, whose "truth" endures. Germany of 1920-1945 is an example. The German prided himself in his "reformation" roots. They saw themselves as the cradle of Christian and Western Culture; hence, they rationalized evil. Bonhoeffer wrote in a letter from prison, "The great masquerade of evil has played havoc with all our ethical concepts. For evil to appear disguised as light, charity, historical necessity, or social justice is quite bewildering to anyone brought up on our traditional ethical concepts, while for the Christian who bases his life on the Bible it merely confirms the fundamental wickedness of evil." America, 2010?
Loyalty to anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ reflects the primal Babel syndrome, the will of man's preferential loyalty to what is his, not that which is Jesus Christ's. And while, "the throne of iniquity," reigns in our governments, courts, entertainment, mosques and many "church" organizations, the Followers of Jesus Christ have the daily opportunity and responsibility to reflect Jesus Christ, Who is, "the head of the... Church,..that in all things He may have the preeminence." In the coming US elections Americans will have such an opportunity and responsibility, that which will reveal loyalty and obedience to some culture, ethnic, gender, or any other Babel syndrome, or, loyalty and obedience to Jesus Christ, "The Word of God," Who, "is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray Paul's prayer for Timothy, "And may the Lord give you understanding in all things." Amen.
* (Access a voters' guide at: www.apf327.blogspot.com)
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
The Message paraphrase says, "He made us; we didn't make Him." Operate from this premise, and we will never be out of Christ's will. Most modern translations translate, "truth," in the second part of our text as, "faithfulness." I see little difference. Revelation 19 says, "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war." Or, as Jesus said, "I am...the truth."
What we are witnessing on a national and global scale today is the attempt to "make Him," and in that attempt a not so subtle endeavor to amalgamate truth and righteousness with particular cultures, genders, ethnic groups and personal philosophies. This is counterfeit truth. In it is a battle for control, for who rules, whose "truth" endures. Germany of 1920-1945 is an example. The German prided himself in his "reformation" roots. They saw themselves as the cradle of Christian and Western Culture; hence, they rationalized evil. Bonhoeffer wrote in a letter from prison, "The great masquerade of evil has played havoc with all our ethical concepts. For evil to appear disguised as light, charity, historical necessity, or social justice is quite bewildering to anyone brought up on our traditional ethical concepts, while for the Christian who bases his life on the Bible it merely confirms the fundamental wickedness of evil." America, 2010?
Loyalty to anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ reflects the primal Babel syndrome, the will of man's preferential loyalty to what is his, not that which is Jesus Christ's. And while, "the throne of iniquity," reigns in our governments, courts, entertainment, mosques and many "church" organizations, the Followers of Jesus Christ have the daily opportunity and responsibility to reflect Jesus Christ, Who is, "the head of the... Church,..that in all things He may have the preeminence." In the coming US elections Americans will have such an opportunity and responsibility, that which will reveal loyalty and obedience to some culture, ethnic, gender, or any other Babel syndrome, or, loyalty and obedience to Jesus Christ, "The Word of God," Who, "is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray Paul's prayer for Timothy, "And may the Lord give you understanding in all things." Amen.
* (Access a voters' guide at: www.apf327.blogspot.com)
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
