"Can
you fathom the mysteries of God? Or can you probe the limits of
the Almighty?” (Psalm 40:3, Msg) Of course, the obvious answer is no! But, not
so fast! In Christ we are compelled to discover the Majestic Mysteries that for
ages were hidden from man’s view. The infinite has now revealed itself to the
finite through the Mystery of the Gospel.
“God wanted
everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and
out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious
standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, therefore
you can look forward to sharing in God's glory. It's that simple. That is the
substance of our Message.” (Colossians 1:22, Msg) And what is even more
boggling to our comprehension is that in discovering and by faith embracing His
Mysteries we bring Glory to God!
“May God
receive glory. He is able to strengthen your faith because of the good news I
preach. It is the message about Jesus Christ. It is in keeping with the
mystery that was hidden for a very long time.” (Romans 16:25, NIRV) Our
faith awakening...”declares God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden
and that God destined for our glory before time began.” (1 Corinthians
2:7, NIRV)
“(Further)
The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all
their lives (what I've been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same
ground before God. They get the same offer, same help, and same promises in
Christ Jesus. The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the
board.” (Ephesians 3:6, Msg)
The revelation of this mystery is
not a ‘Plan B’; put in place because ‘Plan A’ failed. “God never compromised
His original thought. What
further evidence is needed? The word became flesh and has taken up residence
(tabernacled) in us, and we gazed with wonder and amazement upon the
mystery of our inclusion in Him; (theaomai to gaze upon, to perceive) We
saw His glory (Greek, doxa, the display of His opinion), the glory as
of the original, authentic begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”(John
1: 14 adapted from The Mirror)
“And of His fullness have we all received, grace upon
grace…grace undeserved. For the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth
came through Jesus Christ. He who is in the bosom of the Father, the only
original, authentic begotten of the Father; he is our guide (into the depths of
the Mystery of Grace and His Kingdom) who accurately declares and interprets
the invisible God within us.” (Francois du Toit, The Mirror notes, pg. 18)
The original mind, or opinion of God,
was preserved and is now revealed in the Resurrected and Glorified Lord Jesus Christ.
He is both the ‘only begotten, (monogenes,) as in the
authentic original mould, he only has one Father, not the father of flesh, as
well as the first born from the dead. (John 1-3, Col.1:18, 1Pet.1:3) He is
the revelation and reference of our completeness. Col.2:9, 10. Jesus is the Way! There is no other way
to be complete, whole and fully matured.
“After the world’s (and
religions so-called) wisdom had failed to gain the knowledge of God, God
was pleased, by the apparent foolishness of the Message which we preach,
to save those who accepted it.” (1 Corinthians 1:21, WNT) Has your heart been
awakened to the Majesty of the Mystery of the Gospel of Grace?
Jesus came/comes to our awakened heart and mindset as the
Revelation of Abba’s intimate echo. And as we listen to His still small voice
within, He declares our true innocence before His Father! “He did not come to upgrade
the cage of Judaism or any other religion by starting a new one called Christianity;
but to be the incarnate voice of the likeness and image of God in human form! He
came to reveal and redeem the image of God in us!” (Francois du Toit, The Mirror,
pg. 19)
"No one's ever seen or heard anything like this,
never so much as imagined anything quite like it--What God has arranged for
those who love Him...God offers a full report on the gifts of life and
salvation that He is giving us. We don't have to rely on the world's guesses
and opinions. We didn't learn this by reading books or going to school, we
learned it from God, who taught us person-to-person through Jesus, and we're
passing it on to you in the same firsthand, personal way." (1 Corinthians
2:9, 10, 12-13 The Message)
In the revelation of The Mystery of the Gospel of Grace Paul declared,
“My mandate and message is to announce the goodness of God to mankind. This message
is what the Scriptures are all about.” (Romans 1:1, 2 (The Mirror) Scripture could
never again be interpreted in any other way! The Majesty of the Mystery of the gospel
of the success of the Cross gives content and context to scripture.
“Calvary was/is Christ's platform and the Cross His pulpit.
From it, stained with His life's blood, Jesus proclaims salvation, freedom from
sin's chains, healing from sickness and eternal life to all who believe. Nobody
in this whole world shall be deprived of this unmatched Gospel.
The revealed and finished work of the Cross of Jesus is the
MESSAGE. Never minimize or trivialize THE MESSAGE by not passionately and whole
heartedly embracing THE MESSAGE. Be 'nurtured' by THE MESSAGE! Believe THE
MESSAGE for yourself today and every day. Give THE MESSAGE away with every
breath you are given.” (Adapted from Reinhardt Bonnke)
“The violence of the cross is not what God required, but what
He endured because we required it; it reveals something totally new to
mankind, something hidden from the foundation of this world.
Jesus, identified by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God, reveals that it is not our sacrifices that changes the mind of God, but God’s lamb that changes the mind of man. God is not the one who needs to be converted!
In the event of the cross, where God allows us to sink to our deepest alienation from Him, at the point where we are at our worst, He forgives … it is in this moment that we are confronted with the reality that God is not our problem – never has been, and will never be! If when we are at our worst, He remains forgiving, it means that we need to seek a different party to blame for our suffering.” (Andre’ Rabe) “In that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us…” (Romans 5)
Jesus, identified by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God, reveals that it is not our sacrifices that changes the mind of God, but God’s lamb that changes the mind of man. God is not the one who needs to be converted!
In the event of the cross, where God allows us to sink to our deepest alienation from Him, at the point where we are at our worst, He forgives … it is in this moment that we are confronted with the reality that God is not our problem – never has been, and will never be! If when we are at our worst, He remains forgiving, it means that we need to seek a different party to blame for our suffering.” (Andre’ Rabe) “In that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us…” (Romans 5)
History has only one main event.
"Mankind's
timeline is dotted with important moments.
The first
spark from the first flint. The rolling in the first wheel.
The
treating of the first wound.
Who dares
minimize these events?
But who
dares compare them with the Cross?
History has
only one main event.
Others
matter, but only one is essential.
The story
of Jericho might stir you, but falling walls can’t redeem you.
Moses will
give you directions for the wilderness but no solution for your sin.
David’s defeat
of Goliath might reduce your timidity but only the Cross prepares you for
eternity.
Scripture has only one main event.
Even in the
life of Jesus there is only one main event. For if there is no Cross of Christ
then there is no Truth to Christ. And when it comes to your life the same is
true. To remove the Cross is to remove the hinch-pin from the door of hope. The
door to your hope.
For if
there is no Cross then there is no sacrifice for sin. If there is no sacrifice
for sin then how will you face a sinless God? Will you cleanse your own sin?
And if
there is no Cross of Christ then there is no resurrection of Christ. And if
there is no resurrection of Christ how will you live again? Will you push back
your own grave?
Forgiveness
of sin. Deliverance from death. These are the claims of the Cross.
The Cross
is not an event in history.
It is THE
event of history". (Max Lucado) Ron
Ross
No comments:
Post a Comment