Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: WEAR / WHERE (03/09/23)
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TITLE: What's That You Have On? | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
03/15/23 -
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No matter how much we rationalize or self-justify our actions that the Bible calls sin (1), deep in our sub consciousness, if not in our conscious minds, we are well aware of when we have done wrong.
The inability to distinguish right from wrong is one of the definitions of insanity.
When we sin, there is a tendency to steer away from anything or anyone who might call upon us to give an account of our negative actions. This would include God, the Bible, parents, spouses, bosses, and or any person in a position of authority (2).
Rather than face the consequences, shame, and embarrassment, some folks will go as far as contemplating or committing suicide.
While causing tremendous pain to many of the ones left behind, suicide does not erase either the 1Cor. 3: 14, 15 evaluations awaiting all believers, or the Rev. 20: 15 judgements awaiting all unbelievers, that takes after one’s departure. Suicide is never the divine solution to anything.
While forgiveness from God does not necessarily remove all of the earthly consequences of our negative choices, the divinely-forgiven individual can receive and experience the peace (with God) that passes all understanding (3).
In addition, he or she can receive all (Phil. 4: 19) of the provisions necessary to endure the remaining hardships or consequences that our negative choices have brought to us. Within hours, the divinely-forgiven, but secularly-crucified man, on the cross next to our Lord, would suffer the breaking of his legs to hasten his death (4).
When confessing, we are not telling God anything that He doesn’t already know.
His 1John 1: 9 forgiveness is inexhaustible. That is because His forgiveness is based solely on the atoning work that the Lord Jesus Christ finished on the cross (5), having already paid the penalty in full, for the sin being confessed.
One can develop a great testimony of faith, after receiving divine forgiveness and the assurance of a home in Heaven, while sitting in a cell on death row awaiting execution, or when being executed, as did the man who was nailed to the cross next to our Lord (6).
There is divine discipline (7) and secular consequences for sin here on Earth for believers and unbelievers alike. But only born-again believers have the Romans 8: 1 assurance of NO CONDEMNATION in eternity future, after departing this Earth.
When God asked Adam and the woman, later named Eve (8), where they were (9), He was not seeking to learn of their physical whereabouts. The omniscient and omnipresent God knew exactly where they were.
He wanted THEM to see where they were in their relationship with God.
Before The Fall, they had no qualms about appearing naked in body or soul before God or each other.
After The Fall, they felt the need to cover their naked bodies with fig leaves, and the need to try to hide themselves from God.
Unlike the fig leaf covering engineered by Man, the animal skin coverings (provided by God) called for the shedding of blood.
This bloodshed was the forerunner of the Old Testament animal blood offerings, that symbolically atoned for sin.
The principle of the necessity of the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sin (10), would ultimately be fulfilled by the shedding of the blood of the Lamb of God (11). This Lamb of God is the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, who shed His atoning blood on the altar of the cross (12).
In Heaven, all Born-again believers will wear “garments of salvation” with a “robe of righteousness” (13), purchased for them by the shed blood of Christ, and received by faith.
Because of the different amounts of glory (14) that Spirit-filled, Church Age believers will produce during their time here on Earth, the aureole surrounding some of them in Heaven will shine more brightly than others (15).
In the Matt. 22 parable, there was one found among the wedding guests who was thrown out for not wearing wedding clothes (vs. 11). Perhaps he thought he would have been welcomed by wearing the clothing of self-righteousness, good deeds, or the traditions of men.
In the Rev. 20: 12 - 15 event, anyone, not wearing the clothing of the righteousness of Christ, will be cast out into the Lake of Fire.
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(1) Gen. 3: 12, 13 (2) Rom. 13 (3) Phil. 4: 7 (4) John 19: 32 (5) John 19: 30 (6) Luke 23: 43 (7) Gen.6/Heb. 12: 6 (8) Gen. 3: 20 (9) Gen. 3: 9 (10) Heb. 9: 22 (11) John 1: 29 (12) 1John 1: 2 (13) Isa. 61: 10 (14) Mark 4: 19, 20 (15) 1Cor. 15: 41, 42.
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I found all the references quite distracting from understanding what you were saying. In the past, I've use the footnote method, so have it all at the end of the article. It seems to make for a smoother read.
I like the analogy of clothing of righteousness.