Pulp: "From Fear to Love"

       There was a once a man who had been wandering for days in the forest after falling and hitting his head. It throbbed under the pressure. Blood had matted with the hair. He couldn’t remember where his camp was, nor could he find anyone that he’d been camping with, if even if he’d been out there with anyone. He couldn’t remember anything. 
       At some point suddenly in his wandering about, some ferocious animals, catching his scent, gave chase. In the dark of night, bitter cold, running through the forest, he happens upon a small creek bed that he falls into. Now thoroughly immersed in frigid cold waters that rendered him even more desperate and as he had already been cold, hungry and fearing for his life, he wades furiously out of the water and struggles out the other end of the forest and sees the most imposing castle with guards stationed around it. He is afraid of two things now, the animals chasing him from behind, and the possibility of being shot on the spot by the guards ahead for trespassing. He stands between two possibilities - two choices. In a flash, he reasons that the animals, by their very nature will tear him apart. He realizes something else, that if he runs towards the guards in a manner of surrender, they might be willing to at least hear him out. He decisively sprints ahead to the front gates and its guards, waving his wet, blood stained shirt above his head. As he approaches, the guards look at him stunned, but he expected that much. What he didn’t expect was the way that they hurried, not to answer with firing at him, but instead, rushing to open the gates, they threw their coats upon him & assisted him to the entrance door of the castle itself. He hears much commotion as he enters. It’s too much for him. The throbbing in his head, the cold, wet, confusion of it all causes him to pass out. 
       Several hours later, he wakes up in a warm bed, with comfortable dry clothing on & an elegant room full of attendants staring all around him. Confusion & fear grips him because he again realizes he doesn’t fully understand what has happened and what is about to happen next, he asks the obvious series of questions as he breathes deeply and hurriedly to keep up with the speeding beat of his heart, “Where am I? Who are you? Who am I?”. To which one of the attendants standing by answers, “Your highness, do you not realize you are in your own room?” Upon hearing this, confusion slowly dissipates as a tingling sensation of familiarity sweeps his body along with a rush of memories as he studied the room and the faces in it. Astonished by all that has taken place the prince then says to himself, “what I once feared to enter into, was where I did not know that I was loved and what I myself do love.”

Christo-Centric

       Only a few hundred years ago, the belief was that the universe revolved around the earth. The earth was at the center of everything that was. This "earth-centric" view had been the dominate platform of study for every field of science that sprung forward from it. As understanding and knowledge marched forward, there came with it unspoken incongruences in this supposed foundational "truth". The equations did not compute as they should, the solutions were inconsistent and irregular every time that they were figured and re-figured. The higher intelligence were baffled, yet remained persistent in their quest to make the solutions agree with the formulas they had concocted. Truth was waiting patiently.
       Someone was finally ready to step out and suggest that the solution was not the issue. It was the formula itself! Digging deeper, this same scientist discovered that a once supposed truth was really no truth at all. It was, in fact, false. He suggested a new foundation from which to formulate equations that would successively produce accurate and consistent solutions. He proposed that the earth was not the center of the universe at all. Provocatively, he postulated it was actually spinning around the sun (thus referring to our solar system as "helio-centric"). That the earth was subject to a power greater than itself!
       One would imagine that the scientific community would have met this discovery with immediate praise and applause. It did not. Rather it shunned the notion and ostracized any who would dare accept it. They guarded the "earth-centric" principle with avaricious hearts, knowing that it would cause them embarrassment and humiliation if it were later found to be true. Yet the truth eventually saw its own satisfaction. Now those who donned a faulty premise as their foundation became the object of ridicule for every generation that followed.
       When a new saint is born into the "family" and has repented of their previous lifestyle that was admittedly "self-centered", how long does it take before they embrace a new kind of "self-centric" lifestyle similar to the old? Only now it has come under the guise of Christianity. Sure, some of the old bad habits were dismissed at conversion, but how often do we see them exchanged for more "socially acceptable" ones? The shameful probability of why this occurs, however, rests within their biblical mentors. The passage rings strongly in the ear, "Woe to you...For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves."
       Furthermore, the foundation for the formula that guides our lives must be changed. To be clear, it must not only be changed in admission or word alone, but also in practice and application. It is never sufficient to build a platform if one never stands on it. So, our calculations for future life application and understanding must yield to the "Christo-centric" principle. From the illustration used earlier, it is irrefutably clear that we are not the center from which all else revolves. "The heavens declare His handiwork" and "the earth is His footstool" and again, "When I look at the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?"
       Conversion must be two things (at least): Progressive and Total. Conversion must be first progressive because just as some equations have to be transferred bits at a time, so must aspects of the human equation. "...be transformed by the renewing of your mind" illustrates this application. Finally, conversion must be ultimately total. For something (or someone) to be converted, it must be taken out of the formula it was in and transferred into a whole new system. This is a readily understood principle in almost every other arena of human understanding. Yet it is so difficult when it demands that one casts aside the "self-centric" in order to put on the "Christo-centric" garment.
       "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things means." Our generation is begging this same question, do we still have a valid answer that is consistent and accurate with the answer given these men in the book of Acts?
       We must safeguard our "Christo-centric" view and lifestyle. It must be seen. It must be heard. it must be felt.

What if?

       “What if?” The ramifications of this question in regards to the promises of Almighty God are enough to make one salivate with uncontrollably intensive and extensive joy! What if it were simple and predictable obedience that indeed brought about our God's fighting for us in our daily battles rather than our convoluted and erratic defiance depicting our striving against Him? What if, in the assumption of our loyalty to God, we received, in fact, what was promised? How should this affect us from then onward? Would logic not call to our attention that we should continue on? “...while He who began a good work in us will continue it on to completion.” Should a preceding beneficial result not spur on a successively corresponding means?
       We can be sure that His promises are “Yes and Amen”, but can He be certain that our response will be, “not as I will, but as You will”?

Paradox of Reason

       The paradox of reason should be understood in the regard that truth is not subject to reason, but rather that reason must be guided by truth. All things are (or are not) because of inescapably correspondent application. Our reasoning them to be so, or not, is of no consequence to their actuality. Reason, logic and similar mental disciplines, though however necessary they may be, are similar in nature to profound perception. However the line of contemplative deduction is applied and whatever its culmination has exposed must be subjugated to the strengths and weaknesses of its own make up. Only then can it be realized as a truth or an aspect of a more significant truth or no truth at all. Therefore, it is not simply reasoning that leads us to truth, but more appropriately it is truth that sheds light on our capacity and ability to reason.

Answered & Attained

       My LORD, what is your Word that I should understand it? And your revelation that my eyes be open to it? Again, the Word that I should attain it? Do I grasp it or does it rather take hold of me? Questions come quickly and are often asked because of insolence and are also often masked as genuine curiosity. Wisdom - yours and not ours - has answered every question whether in full or part. If partly, it is only because of our own finite incapacity. We contemplate, we discover and we test, hoping the answer - that answer - will finally cure our own insatiableness. Wisdom says it is as "chasing after the wind". Though, there is one question that absolutely must be answered. Curiously enough, by us and not You. It is a simple query and the affirmative is just as simple in its response. The negation thereof, however is quite complicated on a superficial level but ultimately just as simple. Those who choose the latter will deny that claim to their own demise. Wherever the answer is grasped, wherever it is revealed, wherever it is understood...there it is accepted.

Reasons for Rejection

       Reasoning within self, and guided by the Spirit, a perplexing question arises: Why would anyone reject a God (that is Christ Jesus), by whom was their creation made manifest as he spoke them into existence? Probing deeper and examining further would also compel a question of even more importance – Why would anyone reject a God that would willingly possess a vessel of his construction, make himself lower than he was, so that he could simply serve as an example of a pleasing life to the Spirit from which he originated? The mind is overwhelmed with such exhaustive meditation leading to the most inexplicably confounding question of all – Why would anyone reject a God (that accomplished the aforementioned things) that would embrace the need to redeem a race of beings doomed to destruction, through his own blood no less?
       Consequently, He uses the example of his own Son just to show that, “The wages of sin is death…” (as he took ours upon Himself) that depicts a physical foreshadow of an otherwise irreversible and inevitable spiritual death to come (to those who decline the offer following), while yet promising, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” This shows the benevolence of the Creator to his creation through his own redemptive measure through personal and painstaking means, that is, buying us back from the unforgiving grip of death and eternal separation from God Himself. (The tangent offered through this paragraph is merely a reflection of the point preceding it to further cement the intention of this philosophical study that will examine the major issue: Why reject the God of the Bible?)
       In the most frustrated absorption of thought leading to such a declaration of rejection, only a few true sources have come to surface. It is from these few major sources of blatant refusal that all others attach themselves to, whether knowingly or unknowingly. A few steps further and one will discover that any combination of these factors will produce predictable stereotypes with even more predictable arguments when the question of “rejection” is posed to them. These factors, separately, are at the very root of carnality in mankind. Once more however, when fused together through life practices, will show a person entangled in bitterness, rage, depression, conceitedness and the list goes on endlessly.
       These hideously repulsive aspects of rejection are arrogance, apathy, anger and avarice…

Morality in Check

       What is it in the heart of man that predisposes him to so much evil? Do we not all seek ultimately, goodness? Surely not, that is a worldly held excuse, justifying our means so that we may reach uncharted ends. How can evil give rise to good or corruption to incorruption? Does not this world, that is in a constant state of decay provide example enough to refute this theory? It is ridiculous to think that evil will not be repaid because by chance some good, whether directly or indirectly, came from the situation. Truth teaches that even our motives will be brought under judgment.
       Some may then say, if we are predisposed, we should then be subject to that predisposition and not be judged for it. That it is an injustice. What then? Do we only strive against tendencies that society deems unsavory or uncivilized at that certain time and in that certain place? Would you change your morals if you were to move from that place and be reestablished in another where their ideals were different from that where you first were? I ask you, now, who is the slave and who is the ruler over your morals? If you say that you are, will you not change according to the laws of that land and to the society imposed upon you? No- then will you be consenting to the death for your morals that you base upon nothing other than what you decide is truth and what you reason to be justified? Be sure that if you stand upon your morals, that your death be not in vain. What do you gain by your death, if you are already labeled a heretic or insane by the society in which you serve? Rather it will be society who benefits from your death, because with punishment those who give it gain power and instill even more fear.

Blood that Brings Life

       Blood is powerful within the body. Within it provides the means for life, though if tainted, will draw you to death’s door. There is nothing within the body that does not experience its supply of vitality. Furthermore the gift of blood is indeed the gift of life itself. It is written, “The life of the flesh is in the blood”. Is this not a foreshadow upon which one is called to perceive the blood-gift of Christ. Would it not then be reasonable to discern that the life of our spirit is in the blood of Christ? Was he not completely emptied of that which gave life to his flesh that we might be completely filled with his Spirit. He was covered from head to foot down a line of tainted creation, a curse, that is, sin. Though he himself was not subject to its power while being subjected to it. He was nonetheless robed that he might undo the power that oppressed by emptying it from the vessel that he embodied.
       The scripture of old surely does hold the secret that was revealed by this act. Consider, what was the tent, but our flesh? Who was the high priest – upon whom was demanded perfection in the ceremony – but Jesus Christ? Also the sacrifice, which the high priest offered, was strictly enforced to be without any stigma and was emptied of its blood. The most holy place, was it not our soul that only the high priest and the perfect sacrifice could enter into? The ark of the covenant, the symbol of the very heart of our soul, that which perpetuates life. This ark of the covenant was a forerunner revealed saying, "This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you”. In it was contained a few curious objects: The commandments, which were once written on stone, but now are upon “tablets of flesh”. Aaron’s rod that budded foretelling of the “Living Branch” that would be “cut off”. The container of manna of which Christ personally declared “ I am the bread that came down from heaven” and again, “I am the bread of life”. Were all these not contained in that whose horns were sprinkled with the immaculate blood atoning for sin? Not forgetting the glory that dwelled so gloriously overwhelming within its confines, though itself could not be confined. What else? – But the preeminent mystery revealed by the onset of the Holy Spirit.
       “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests…to him be glory and power…”

One & Zero

       One and zero. These numbers are being employed to qualify and quantify aspects of God’s omni – presence, - potence, - science. This reasoning of these numbers “one” and “zero” are not an attempt to limit God. They are, rather, to explain His limitless power.
       You see, in the use of the number one, there is always a more elaborative and inclusive portrait that is being painted. Nothing, from the smallest to the greatest element of matter or time or space or energy stands alone. It can always be grouped in with something more profound or extensive than itself. Making a collaborative body of one which, in turn links with others like it or at least relative to it and again sovereignty is stripped away thus seceding to the enjoinment that brings it to oneness again and again. This cycle endlessly continues until it reaches the threshold of God. We know that He “is in all and through all” and thus the cycle ends. Knowing “the end from the beginning” He alone can stand without being enjoined to anything or anyone. It is also written, “There is none beside me.” Whether speaking of marbles or planets, they can all be classified together into something more complex than themselves when their own complexities are compared and contrasted with other elements of similar creation. The number “one” stands alone and holds within it, limitless dimensions. In fact, being dimensionless, it is the closest mankind will ever come in this life to comprehending the transcendent nature of infinity.
       As for “zero”, in the finiteness of human logic, we also fall unyieldingly short of discerning what oblivion really is. What the naked eye may see and register as empty, void or vanished, may in fact hold incomparable and unparalleled matter, energy or other sorts of particles as such. Secular science holds that “matter can neither be created nor destroyed” claiming that everything came from nothing. Yet we know that negatives lie in the theoretical, and have not been proven to create anything. Even so, they seal their own fate either way. One thing always breaks down into another. It is conjunctive with displacement. It is said that “seeing is believing” but what is seen (or unseen) does not equate to truth necessarily.
       We are told to fear “the One who can destroy both the body and the soul” and as said, so we should. For the infinite One, that is Christ, who created all that is from what once was nothing has the right to make it as void as it once was.

To Criticize or Judge

       Why are we so quick to cast judgment on an individual? Should we not instead weigh the matter first, and in an even balance? One's soul is the sum of many choices through the course of life. We, however, outside that particular soul either condemn or glorify them - in our own souls coincidentally - based upon the few or even a singular event that we may witness. This is why we are warned against such reservations.
       To be sure, what is evil glorifies the evil one, just as what is holy glorifies the Holy One. Nevertheless, try as we might, we can never separate these two choices so that we might please one or the other except the Spirit of their being (I am speaking of Christ or of Satan respectively and no more of others) within us. To give ourselves over wholly to these contrasting lifestyles is to inevitably comprehend the design and consequently the destination of our souls altogether.

Voice of a Vessel

       Someone who has a tongue, has an evil thing. Unclean, both physically and spiritually, it moves about longing to produce futile words. It is as an axe, though sometimes useful, it is ultimately a tool for destruction.
       Someone who speaks must first learn to tame human tendencies. Speech left unbridled communicates the essence of our carnality, but if guided by the bit can please both God and man. Like an animal that has not been broken, so is the fleshly nature of our speech.
       Someone who teaches is in danger of the judgment. Be sure that the teaching is in line with the Truth, so that you may rest in knowing that you have sown a seed that is free from penalty. A seed springs forth from the ground, yet it is only deemed worthy by its roots below, the soil in which it was planted and the fruit that it yields over a time.
       Someone who is a voice, however, is a worthy vessel.It goes beyond the vanity of words and subtle non-verbal suggestion. A vessel that receives understanding, stores up wisdom and has the ability to distribute these same things is worthy of being called a voice.

Faith & Hope

       Faith and Hope are entwined after the fashion of the Spirit and the body. They are united by the wisdom of God because he has “sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying, Abba, Father”. Just as such, one should be the servant of the greater, namely hope unto faith. The manner in which you worship, praise, pray and live your life for Christ is determined upon whether you hope, have faith or balance carefully between the two.
       This point or these points are meant to be elements only of a much more exhaustive dialogue concerning the full extent of their meanings. Nevertheless, we see the superiority of faith in its very own Biblical definition. It is “the substance of things hoped for…” When you submit to God through repentance moving towards salvation, you are doing so hoping to find something better than your previous experiences. What you find is faith. What you hoped for is faith, something only revealed at the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
       To continue, faith is “the evidence of things not seen”. Christians are ridiculed by non-believers for worshipping what is not so apparently visible or seemingly intangible. Even by mere acknowledgement is the ideology mocked. Yet these foolish hypocrites will, in turn, believe and misplace their faith (rather their hope) on their own private and agenda driven interpretation of “scientific facts” they so admiringly refer to as logic. Where are the sub-atomic particles? I ask you, where do they reside? What is their make-up? What is the appearance of their parts? We cannot see them at this point in time, however we see their workings, their activity. Moreso, effects and actuality through manipulation and our perception are a clear witness of their existence. So wise men of “science”, on this point do not condescend a Christian's choice to respond through faith in the activeness of Christ in them and in the world around.
       Faith is an actuality waiting on its investor to act, ready with the reward waiting to be attained. Hope, though noble in cause, is not always so forthcoming in its effect. Hope is investing in the possibility while still retaining a cloud of doubt. Hope is manifested from the flesh while Faith is revealed from the Spirit. It is important to remember that our flesh must submit to the actuality of the Spirit as we are called to exercise both, “that our faith and hope might be in God.”

A "Peace" of Fruit

       What a peace the Lord has offered man! Truly it "passes all understanding". It is offered by the One "who provides the increase". It would be absurd to reject the fruit of the Spirit which bears life in joyful abundance. Are we not told that "the harvest is plentiful" and again, "who works in the field and does not eat of its fruit?"

       All fruit that is good bears yet more seed. This is wisdom from the Lord, life should bear life. Death can bear nothing except eternal destruction, perpetual and ever breaking down without ceasing to be. The fruit of Life is sweet and wholesome and good. It is strengthening to the drive of whoever consumes it. It is motivating to thought and stirring the soul, the awakening rush overtaking the spirit and urging it to press on. What is in the natural, is but a mere dark reflection of its spiritual relativity. The wisdom of the Lord outreaches the lengths and depths of our capacity to conceive of it.

A Call for Study

       It is said, "The Spirit searches the deep things of God". There are those who complain of the complexities of the word of God, they then refuse themselves the study of it. "these things are spirtually discerned", we are reminded. Would you go across rough, unfamiliar terrain alone? Would you refuse someone to lead you to the summit? You would soon perish, finding yourself in foreign waters! Do you not see your need? Will you be so stubborn? Call for the Guide and you shall be successful. Is it not his job to comprehend what you do not? He imparts understanding along the way, so that you may benefit and not himself. Will you continue to study the things that shall pass away while refusing to grasp the exquisite truths of those things that shall never expire? Let it not be so! Great truth is always profound, involving a continual renewal of itself in you. Do not boast that you have attained, yet rejoice in what has been revealed. "His way are higher than ours."

Spirit, Truth & the Witness

       "...true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth..." and again "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord."

       King Agrippa was taken back by Paul's testimony to the point where he declared that Paul had almost convinced him to become a Christian. Paul had testified through the Spirit of Christ concerning the very truth of the Word of God which are the same, an paradoxical union. True worship is not blind to the truth, but rather in response to it. Truth, whether it be at the cosmic level or at the atomic always points to the extraordinary purpose placed in it. Whether it is yet revealed or even accepted does not disannul the fact that it is. Furthermore, this truth is inseparably reciprocal of the Spirit from which it comes.

Truth & Tradition

       It bewilders me that humanity and the guiding force behind the flesh must label literally everything and everone. Someone responds one way in a reaction and we say, "Oh, that must mean that they are this way". Something happens as a result of some other type of stimulous and we claim we comprehend why it is that way. Assuredly this is true in small matters (to a limited extent), however there are, most often, far to many variables to even consider. Even if we could comprehend the variables, the collaborative solution is nonsense to us and the answer inapplicable at best. Yet, we hastily judge the weightier matters while we ponder greatly the small things.

       To the point, why do we label our God? Is He one? Is he three? Do we have a mind that can conceive of God's infiniteness? Surely, we do not. Men of denomination choose a side and take hold of a cache of verses to back up their position while disregarding the entirety of the whole text. If what we believe is not in full agreement with what can be plainly seen, then what we believe is at worst a lie and at best blissful ignorance. We allow ourselves to be divided. Paul asked, (rightfully so), "Is Christ divided..."? Do we follow man's tradition and what we have heard? Should we not rather follow God and his Word? Is it not possible that all gospel believing saints hold the many keys, yet are disallowed to use them to unlock the mysteries of God, by his grace? Why is this the way of things? What restrains us? Pride - cast it off! Tradition- what is it worth? Ignorance - unfruitful and waxing in apathy.

       In our attempt to define God, we have yet, confined him. Though, he cannot truly be confined by those who are yet subject to him; we have confined ourselves. His power, Spirit and Truth is beyond our reach, because we do not reach out to Him at all when we are confined to our own ignorant tradition.

       Is all tradition triviality? Of course not, a tradition of faith in a perfect and risen and holy Saviour is a tradition of truth marked through ages of prophecy fulfilled through Jesus Christ and passed thenceforth from generation to generation, even until the day that is presently upon us.

Greater Mastery

       Which is greater - knowledge or wisdom? To compare the two is to compare the past with the future. Knowledge is arrogant, wisdom is meek. Knowledge only knows what has been made known while wisdom is, in fact, what reveals. Knowledge can only see by sight, but wisdom sees by vision. Knowledge can only retain what has been, and wisdom guides what will yet be. Knowledge grows only from what is remembered, while wisdom springs forth from what has been experienced. To compare the two is to compare the creation to its Creator. There is no crossroad from the lesser to the greater, yet there is from the Most High to us.

       What has been made known will not necessarily dictate true wisdom in its response. However, true wisdom will always dictate what has been made known. Knowledge is a road leading in two directions, infinitely. Goldly inspired wisdom is the guiding force producing the first step in the necessary direction.