Antiquated?

Is blogging a waste of time? Perhaps, but at least it exercises my mind and gives me an outlet. Maybe this is just some sort of modern (this looks like modem it is m o d e r n) journal, with a weird twist. We allow others to peak in and see what we really think about. Like anyone else, my mind wanders just about everywhere and anywhere. Yet, I do something different. I take thoughts captive and judge them by what I know is true from God’s word, the bible.

Some see the bible as some antiquated book full of fairy tales. I would respectfully disagree, for God’s word is alive and sharper than a two edged sword. What I mean is as we read the bible we are building a relationship with its author and it cuts right to the heart of issues. Though men penned the words over thousand of years,  in various places all over the Mediterranean Region, it was done by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God. Through Sheppard’s, kings, princes, prophets, poets, and fishermen the Spirit of the living God complied a book telling of God’s dealings with men and how men can deal with God.

I’ve told and retold the only story I ever tell. It is a simple summation of the bible as a whole. I tell the bible's tale this way because it is easy to get lost in it, it’s huge. In short, God made the heavens and the earth, and He did it in perfection. It was good in His sight and humanity lived in harmonious bliss with God. He provided all their needs, but much more than that, He had an everyday relationship with His creation. All was well with the world.

God's garden (Eden) had only ONE rule. With only one rule, it seems like they could keep it right? Of course not! They were   like   we   are: rebellious. They took the forbidden fruit from the tree, and bliss was a thing of the past. While we could blame them, as we like to do, we would do the same. With disobedience, Adam and Eve introduced the curse of sin into the world. This sin brought death and suffering and all that we see wrong with the planet.

In other words, the perfect planet was a thing of the past. So within 3 or 4 pages of the bible, perfection is lost and the relationship with the Father was broken. This was the first messed up family. Broken ties with the one who made them--oh, what to do? What to do?

The "what to do" is where we turn from here in the bible. It is the rest of the story of the bible. God had to show humanity how to deal with sin. He did it in a temporal way through animal sacrifice system and a Levitical Priesthood. But, in a twist, God does the unexpected. He sent His only Son to deal with sin once and for all. That is why Jesus, the Christ, came: to die for sin, our sin. And by His own power, He raised Himself back to life 3 days later.

Why? He loves the world, even in a broken state. He just wants a relationship. But, a perfect God doesn't look on or condone sin. So something perfect had to intervene. So, God did. He loves the world so much He sent His Son Jesus (the perfect Lamb of God) to end the sacrificial system. He sent His perfect Son to restore the balance in creation. He sent His Son to die for humanities disobedience, for my disobedience.

I can’t understand a love like that. I can’t begin to know why God loves us so much as to send His Son to appease His anger over our wrongs, our sins. But He did and that is the bibles’ good news (Gospel). However, as a friend reminded me tonight, there is bad news in the bible too. It speaks to the fact that what if hearing all this, you still think it’s a fairy tale. Well, there is a hell just as much as there is a heaven. Remember this: Jesus spoke about hell 17 times and heaven once. Hell is designed for Satan and his rebellious host. Yet, if you refuse a relationship with the living God (Yahweh), who made everything, you can go to hell, but, it is by ones own choice.

Well there is a million details I could give, but that would take forever. I hope you know my God as I do. He is loving and merciful beyond belief. Yet, if you like, you could have His justice instead?