This is Part 4 (final) of a series on what I understand might be the top 10 spiritual principles or laws that relate to many of the crises across our world today. Please see Parts 1 – 3. Blessings as you ponder these points and consider how your life aligns with them.
God has established and gives us His spiritual laws/principles. He sends teachers to instruct us therein. The Bible affirms and demonstrates satan seeks to trap us into breaking these laws in order to accuse us in Heaven’s High Courtroom. Once he has a case against us, God allows us grace to repent (time and opportunity to change our thinking and ways). If/when we do, we escape being judged for having broken the relevant law(s). If we do not repent, but persist in our law-breaking ways, God, as the ultimate just Judge, must pass judgment to be carried out/executed by angels or devils (fallen angels), as necessary and as assigned. Passing judgment allows executioner beings (both angels and devils) access to our lives, whose modus operandi is to carryout God’s judgment sentence. Such destruction is NOT necessarily related to the assured salvation of a sincere Christ believer. It does relate more to our daily walk through this life. Thus, God iteratively affirms, if there are calamities, crises and disasters, He, as The Lord over everything in His creation, is ultimately behind them. (Isaiah 45:7 and Amos 3:6)
So what are the priority spiritual laws; how are they being implemented and enforced; and how might they relate to crises you may have experienced or witnessed? Here is my take, based on considerable pondering of this very complex topic. Hopefully you will be inspired to do your own pondering and share your thoughts as well. (Please see Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3)
#8. The Law of Repentance, Grace and Mercy. This is God’s GIANT and generous ‘eraser law or principle’. It is His open door for us to walk through, in great sincerity, at any time and on any issue, and escape the punishments of our law-breaking lifestyles. However, though we may escape the punishments, we certainly do not always escape the consequences of our wrong-doing, our sin. In His Grace, God often allows the consequences of law breaking to linger as powerful lessons in our lives, and as witnesses to on-lookers. In this manner, He allows a more righteous remnant to emerge. In response to our genuine (honest, heart-felt/intended) repentance, He extends His graces of forgiveness and mercy, allowing us to escape much worse, deserved punishments.
Many recent generations across our world have practically been raised to believe there is no one, true God; no sin; no consequences for our poor moral choices; and therefore no need to repent. Lies, lies, lies, sown by God’s enemy, satan and his crew, and unfortunately, much too easily/broadly believed by many. But consider the worldwide fruits of these beliefs. Then consider what could be if only we dispelled the lies, and embraced Truth! Alas, God predicts that, in the last days, we all, even so-called Christians, will be more prone to believe lies than His Truth. Voila!
Here is a poem that summarizes God’s perspective on this issue by focusing on two pivotal, ‘spiritual cups’ – one of which is given to each/every human born, and the other is voluntarily sought, not automatically given. (Minding Your Cups)
Lesson: Because we perceive spiritual things ‘through a glass darkly’ (1 Corinthians 13:12), regular repentance should be ‘the order of every day’! Dutifully apply this law to God's other spiritual laws! Some Christians may attest, ‘I am the righteousness of God in Christ, and as such, I don't need to repent!’ (2 Corinthians 5:21) Indeed, by His great gift of salvation, sincere Christ-disciples have been made to be God’s righteousness, spiritually. Yet we still walk out this life in our fleshly bodies, bodies that err and mis-step. Recall what Jesus told Peter when Peter insisted his feet did not need washing. Then recall Jesus’ grace-filled response. (See: John 13)
#9. The Law of Forgiveness, Grace and Mercy. To whom much is given, much is required, starting with forgiveness. As we have been, and are recipients of God’s forgiveness, grace and mercy, He requires us to practice Love, and extend the same to our offenders. The degree or extent to which we practice this law/principle, becomes seed for the Law of Sowing and Reaping in our lives. Imagine the horrors we attract to ourselves by being so negatively charged with the spirit of unforgiveness.
I have learned forgiveness is NOT a feeling or emotion. Rather, it is a decision, and one best exercised orally and consistently whenever my mind recalls and rehearses an offense. Why? The Bible says,‘Faith comes by hearing...’, so as I audibly hear myself forgiving people for offenses against me, I increasingly believe in my forgiveness extended to them. This both anchors and reinforces my forgiveness, thus activating the Law of Love.
By the way, have you ever noticed that several popular apps and dictionaries do not even recognize the word, ‘unforgiveness’?! What’s up (spiritually) with that?! This is an insightful reflection of our society.
Lesson: Forgive quickly and often.
#10. The Law of Judging and Vengeance. This law/principle stipulates that God alone is the ultimate Judge of all people/mankind and of fallen angels (devils and demons). Judgment and vengeance belong to Him. Importantly, He has delegated this function to Jesus (John 5:22), and through Paul, Jesus reveals that judging angels will someday be delegated to faithful, resurrected Christ-disciples. Jesus emphatically said, ‘Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use [to judge other people], it will be measured back to you.’ (Matthew 7:1-2) As with all other laws/principles, violating this law activates the Law of Sowing and Reaping, ensuring we, too, will be unjustly judged.
Judging is often confused with discerning. While judging other people's hidden motives is something only God can do, judging and discerning their outward words and actions of others is something we all must do, preferably within the proper context. (See: Judging, Misjudged (Poem)) Devils would simply LOVE for Christ-disciples to throw in the towel and refuse to discern and judge ANYTHING, even gross sinfulness across our societies and world! Don’t be deceived.
Judging and seeking vengeance relate to our own heart’s motives when criticizing others. The challenge is that we cannot see well or at all into our own heart, or fully understand our own motives. (Jeremiah 17:9-10) Thus, we are all highly prone to crossing the line from analysis, critiquing, criticizing, and ‘just saying…’ over into judging, and when we do so, it is hypocritical. This is true because our hearts are reportedly ‘desperately wicked’, and because we are so easily deceived both by devils and ourselves alike! (NB: Matthew 7:1-2 is more about hypocrisy than judging.)
Given our 24-hour news, social media, fake news cycles and social palaver with family and friends, we ALL feed on a steady diet of stuff that invites us to analyze, critique, criticize, and eventually judge. How many of us even tend to skip the first three points and ...jump directly into judging?
Lesson: Practice catching yourself actively or consciously judging other peoples’ hidden motives. Ponder areas of your life in which you felt/believe your motives were unfairly judged by others; then explore the possible seeds you may have sown that produced that fruit. The more and better you get at ‘connecting-the-dots’, the better a handle you will have on this spiritual law/principle, and escape the consequences of its cold clutches! Also, practice being guided by The Holy Spirit to discern and judge outward words and actions, to perceive what is righteousness versus what is evil. A healthy perception of these is critical in our world.
As you ponder the insights shared in this 4-part series, ask yourself:
--How have I performed relative to these broad 10 spiritual laws/principles? Can I trace positive or negative consequences I have experienced back to having honored or disrespected these laws/principles?
--How has my society (however you define it) performed relative to these spiritual laws/principles? Can we trace the positive or negative consequences experienced back to having honored or disrespected these laws/principles?
--How can I/we enhance my/our results by denying our devilish accusers evidence to use against us in God’s High Court?
--Since the Book of Job was the very first written of The Bible’s 66 books, its message to humanity must be extremely important. Which of these laws/principles did Job and his friends break? * What happened once he and they perceived, and took God’s grace (time and opportunity) to repent? (See: Cornerstone: Cause ==>Effect (Series))
--For more advanced Bible students, how do you understand these relate to the overarching/umbrella ‘Law of Sin and Death’ and ‘Law of The Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus’ that Paul speaks of in Romans 8:2?
Final Points
Undoubtedly, there are many reasons for crises, primary among them, as noted earlier, is the fact that ours is a spiritually fallen world. Two core Bible messages are (1) there are spiritual roots to ALL things physical, and (2) carnal/physical-mindedness leads to (spiritual) death, and spiritual-mindedness leads to (spiritual) life. In light of this, pondering possible spiritual roots to physical crises and tragedies, though impossible to comprehend fully, is a worthy effort. Some physical crises/tragedies may be related to critical, cyclical insights shared in Jeremiah 9:23-24. These insights are explored in the post, What's Really Going On (...Inside). While in this life we cannot understand everything in its fullness, God has promised to give us who are born-again in Jesus Christ His Holy Spirit to guide us in all things. This includes a perceptive wisdom to understand and apply the basics of Heaven’s Kingdom laws and principles as we seek to grow and mature in Christ.
Undoubtedly, there are many reasons for crises, primary among them, as noted earlier, is the fact that ours is a spiritually fallen world. Two core Bible messages are (1) there are spiritual roots to ALL things physical, and (2) carnal/physical-mindedness leads to (spiritual) death, and spiritual-mindedness leads to (spiritual) life. In light of this, pondering possible spiritual roots to physical crises and tragedies, though impossible to comprehend fully, is a worthy effort. Some physical crises/tragedies may be related to critical, cyclical insights shared in Jeremiah 9:23-24. These insights are explored in the post, What's Really Going On (...Inside). While in this life we cannot understand everything in its fullness, God has promised to give us who are born-again in Jesus Christ His Holy Spirit to guide us in all things. This includes a perceptive wisdom to understand and apply the basics of Heaven’s Kingdom laws and principles as we seek to grow and mature in Christ.
Any practical mind might easily argue that a prime reason for many crises in a person’s life, and indeed a society or nation, is likely the sheer stupidity of their individual or collective choices! Arguably, this point has merit. However, it omits what I understand is a key principle governing life, namely the primacy and supremacy of things spiritual over things that unfold in our physical world. From Genesis-to-Revelation, The Bible shouts, and even screams this core wisdom. The very existence of the physical universe and our world is best understood as the ‘afterbirth’ of things that occurred in the unseen world of spirit (the spiritual world). That which to us is unseen spawns what eventually becomes seen or physical reality. This core wisdom governs all life, from the seed of the biggest fruits, to the seeds of humans and animals, and all events erupting on planet earth, and possibly across all of creation! Reading The Bible with this understanding, and with the inward-dwelling Holy Spirit unlocks insight into the world of spirit. Apart from being born into The Kingdom of Heaven, folks are simply ‘flying blind’ at full speed into a hellish eternity. Both God and we must respect their choice.
This core wisdom is also evident when Sovereign God turns God-rejecters over to their reprobate mind, signaling the removal of His protective grace and mercy, thereby ushering us into making, and suffering the lingering consequences of our stupid decisions!
Blessed pondering...
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* As you ponder this question, here’s a running start. Though he was indeed perfect and upright or righteous in God’s eye, just as sincere Christ believers are today, Job acted in fear, wasted part of his resource blessings in fear-based sacrifices, apparently broke down God’s protective hedge (putting himself on satan’s territory, so to speak), cursed the day he was born (as if to say, God erred), criticized (judged?) his critics/judges, then accused God unjustly. Perhaps you’ll discover other spiritual errs as you ponder his epic story!
