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For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face;1 Corinthians 13:12a. The KJV has the more famous phrase, "through a glass darkly." The ancients did not have glass mirrors in which to see their reflection. They used small rounds of polished bronze offering only distorted picture. Like the bronze, believers see the world only darkly, in distorted fashion, and then, when we are with Him face to face, we will see clearly.Above, ancient mirror. Exodus 38:8 "Moreover, he made the laver of bronze with its base of bronze, from the mirrors of the serving women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting."
I visited Madame Tussaud's wax museum in London some years ago. The refrain all the tour members continually uttered was "so real," "so lifelike." The wax figures of famous people were indeed lifelike, startlingly so. They looked as if they would move at any moment. However, we see those figures through a glass darkly compared to how we will see in heaven. The wax figures contained no complex biology inside, are not sentient, cannot think. Yet to us they seemed "real." How silly to ascribe reality or even near-reality to figures totally devoid of anything and everything that makes us God's children!
If believers see through a glass darkly, imagine how the fallen unsaved see, for they see not at all. They are blind! Therefore they are open to any distortion of any Godly concept. This is a broken world. It is not the original planet that God created. As the very ground was soaked with Abel's blood and crying out to God, the world by this time in history is saturated with sin through and through. All the Godly concepts given to us are grossly distorted, and seen darkly.
Gay marriage is a gross distortion of the original concept of marriage, abortion is a gross distortion of parenting, heavy metal rock concerts a gross distortion of hymns sung to God on lyre and harp.
And today, we see quite abruptly that the concept of peace is now thoroughly twisted and grossly seen through the eyes of a fallen world: Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. He was President only 12 days before the Nobel nomination deadline last February, so the prize seems more given because of empty promises and rhetoric rather than substance. What a distortion of peace! This prize is built on nothing more than air and a house of cards. The AP asks, Analysis: He won, but for what? We see darkly, the lost see not at all.
Peace in Obama's hands is a gross distortion of peace that Jesus will bring. But we know that this will be so, for the first half of the tribulation is founded on a false peace, brought by a man who is false to his core: the Antichrist! The entire end event is borne through the lying peaceful sayings of a man who only plans to bring destruction, and the entire world falls for it! No wonder the current prelude to the end is deeply twisted. We do not know what peace IS anymore. Right, Madame Tussaud's wax Obama.I am sure there will be hand-wringing and wailing over this news. I see it as a glorious confirmation of the Word of God. Deu 29:19 reminds us of the self-delusion that one has when walking in the stubbornness of your own sin. "It shall be when he hears the words of this curse, that he will boast, saying, 'I have peace though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart in order to destroy the watered land with the dry.'
It is all right. We know that perversions of all God-given notions abound. The polished bronze allows only a tiny measure of light to bounce back, creating a dark reflection. It is how we see the world, but one day soon, we will be given a glorified body containing eyes that can absorb the LORD'S luminosity! So why are we surprised that in today's sinning world that marriage is gay, parenting is murder, and peace only promises? America is stubborn and is surely sinful, led by a wicked man of satan. What did anyone expect? Justice, righteousness, right decisions? Surely not. Yet still we ask, "Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? (Jeremiah 12:1) and again, "Why do the wicked live and become old, yes, become mighty in power? " (Job 21:7) and again, "Lord, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?" (Psalm 94:3)"
Answer: "Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass And fade like the green herb. Trust in the LORD and do good;" (Psalm 37). The wicked are insecure, while those in Jesus have eternal security. We know that soon, "While they are saying, 'Peace and safety!' then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape." (1 Thess 5:3.) There is no peace except for peace in Jesus. THAT is the prize! All else is a sinful distortion of the original intent. Be not surprised by the depth of that distortion, for the deeper it is, the nearer He comes!
Would the devil not use scripture for his own ends? How can you assure me your judgmental addled ramblings are not the words of Satan?
ReplyDeleteFrom where I am sitting your words are the cause of far more evil than gay marriage and world nuclear weapon reduction talks.
Judge not lest ye be judged.
You claim to know the unknowable even in the christian tradition that type of hubris is always a harbinger of a great fall or disillusionment.
You are a special case though because you suffer from willful ignorance, you CHOOSE not to be tolerant and CHOOSE to base all your decisions on myth and superstition.
Someone who is as capable of spewing forth such a flow of ignorance with such felicity surely can educate themselves with more than just one book of fairy tales.
Hello New Gloucester Maine. Welcome back. You asked, “Would the devil not use scripture for his own ends?” Yes. He would and he does and he did, right to Jesus, even. Yes.
ReplyDeleteYou asked, “How can you assure me your judgmental addled ramblings are not the words of Satan?” I believe I offered you a link once already that outlines that assurance. Here it is again, “Is the Bible truly God's Word?” “http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-God-Word.html” If you are sincere in your question, please do go there and read the short essay. It offers that assurance.
Many people are confused by the “judge not” scripture, found in Matthew 7:1. Its full quotation is Mt 7:1-5.
Christians are often accused of "judging" whenever they speak out against a sinful activity. However, that is not the meaning of "Do not judge." There is a righteous kind of judgment we are supposed to exercise (with discernment) as advised above. How is the sinner supposed to know he is sinning unless and until someone tells him, using the bible as the only sure barometer of right and wrong? How is he supposed to know he needs forgiveness until and unless he knows it is available? How is he supposed to know what sin IS until and unless someone shows him in the True word of God? If your house was in fire would you not want me to tell you? Or would you go back to sleep, saying, "I see no fire and smell no smoke, therefore there is no fire. Go away."
Homosexuality is a sin. Abortion is a sin. People do not like to be told they are doing wrong, but one day you and others who persist in sin will be told the same thing by Jesus Himself. You can choose to listen now and repent (go away from sin) or persist and…well, you know the rest.
You wrote, “You claim to know the unknowable…” yet this whole post was about NOT knowing the unknowable, lol. I believe you missed the point of it. Christians see through a glass darkly and will only “know” when we get to be with Jesus. The lost are blind and do not see at all and know nothing. (Though Christians DO know the truth: Jesus is messiah, died on the cross for our sins, and rose to life to reign with God. THAT is knowable.) There is still time for you, ask Jesus to forgive your sins, and let His peace fill you! You will feel peaceful and then, glory of glories, you will see!
Amen, Elizabeth!!!!
ReplyDeleteI believe you can rest in the knowledge that your posts are hitting home, Elizabeth! This person is definitely feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Satan hates it when God's people tell the truth to people who he has successfully blinded with lies. Keep up the good work, my friend.
ReplyDeleteKim