How are we able to admit our unfaithfulness

We can - and will - only acknowledge the depth of our brokenness to the extent that we recognize God's perfect acceptance - embrace - of us and love for us in and through Christ. 

If our understanding of - and trust in - His total acceptance and love is incomplete, so will be our ¹ability to see and acknowledge our distrust of God, i.e., the essence of our sinful condition. 

And what is the full extent of God's acceptance and embrace of us? It is the same as His loving embrace of His Son, i.e., it is perfect-complete-total! 

"The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me." - Jesus, praying to His Father right before he's betrayed by Judas and crucified the next day - John 17:22-23 ESV

How much does the Father love the Son? However much that is, is how much he loves us!! i.e., it is the same as His love for His Son!!! It is equal to His love for Jesus!!! Total and infinite!! Selah (reflect on this and let it sink in. Ask God to reveal this to you more fully).

The only way to grasp this is to ask God to reveal this to you. Otherwise, you (we) will not see it.

Jesus- 

"All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." - Matthew 11:27 ESV

The apostle Paul -

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named (i.e., bears His image) that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength (that comes to us through faith) to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." - Eph 3:14-19 ESV

For a closer look at the above passage, click here. You may wish to bookmark it to read later after you are done with this article.

Why does God love us this way?

Because...

1. We are like God - i.e. in His image - and if we are in Christ, we are His beloved child, not unlike Christ, who is in the image of God and His only begotten Son. 

2. Christ lived a life of perfect faithfulness to His Father - the life that God designed and intended us to ²live (but failed to live and still fail now). He lived His life to honor His Father but also to honor (share His glory with) us. 

Through our faith in Christ, God credits Christ's perfectly righteous life to us as if we lived it. In Christ we are now perfect in the eyes of God. We will never be more acceptable or embraced by God than we are right now! 

Do you believe this? Paul in his letter to the church in Rome says to ³"reckon" (consider) it so.

And we won't experience the depth of God's love until we ⁴acknowledge the depth of our distrust in Him i.e., our lack of faith in this infinite provision.

And we won't admit that distrust until we grasp (by faith) His total acceptance and loving embrace of us. 

These go hand in hand. We must see both to fully know and partake of God in the fullness of His love. 

We must acknowledge our distrust of God and turn from it, so we might more clearly and fully see "...the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

For a fuller discussion of the love the Father and Son have for each other, click here

For a fuller discussion on why God values us as bearers of His image, click here

For a fuller discussion of Christ being the only begotten Son, click here. 

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Footnotes:

¹We will only admit the extent of our brokenness to others (and ourselves) to the extent we believe we will still be accepted and not rejected when we do. 

We all want to be fully seen but also fully accepted. But to be fully seen usually means we will be rejected because of our brokenness, except with God, who fully sees us and still totally embraces us, warts and all.  

²as well as died the death we should have died.

³ Rom 6:11

English Standard Version
So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Berean Standard Bible
So you too must count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Berean Literal Bible
So also you⁺, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but living to God in Christ Jesus.

King James Bible
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rom 6:11 is not saying we are dead to the allure (temptation) of sin, but to its legal claim of condemnation on us. That claim is forever gone because our judgment was totally laid on Christ. Jesus paid it all!!! It is finished!!!

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow..." - Isa 1:18a ESV

must count - λογίζεσθε (logizesthe)
Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3049: To reckon, count, charge with; reason, decide, conclude; think, suppose.

⁴the more we grasp how great our distrust of God is, the more we realize and appreciate how great his love must be to still love us in light of this distrust.

The devil is a prowling lion

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." — 1 Peter 5:8 ESV

Lions are cunning and prowl around looking for victims. They also roar because they are hungry predators. Their drive is relentless and comes from the need to stay alive. They are parasites looking for a host and also predators, driven by emptiness and the need to fill it. Their primary drive is to fill their belly.

The above passage is simply saying, keep your eyes open and be aware that Satan is always looking to overtake and consume someone. His pursuit is relentless. And if you are not aware and prepared for his attacks, he will sneak up on you, catch you off guard and consume you.

What is a major way the devil works in today's culture and society? 

Through those in positions of power… "Influencers," if you will.

For example, if an outside influence can control U.S. lawmakers, it can control the U.S. laws made. Laws shape behavior and ultimately culture.

How can lawmakers be controlled?

Bribes, threats, personal enrichment and ambition.

All of these are used to influence or control any official within government who holds a position of power and influence, such as judges, governors, AGs, attorneys, administrators, etc.

Or those outside government, such as company presidents, CEOs, administrators, board directors or board members, heads of departments, educators, entertainers, reporters, athletes, i.e., those with highly specialized skills in their area of expertise, such as coders, programmers, ⁵AI developers etc. As well as ministers, priests, pastors, deacons, etc.

The greater someone's (or ⁵something's) influence, the greater the likelihood they (⁵it) will be approached and pursued and/or utilized for harm and advancement of their agenda.

Approached by whom? See footnote ³.

All that is necessary to control the direction of any person or institution—be it a company, a church, a news outlet, a high-profile athlete,¹ entertainer, technology, person or organization of influence—is to probe around and find the² individuals who take the bait when offered power or money or cave in when threatened, i.e., those who are most easily controlled and compromised. These are the ones without strong principles or character but instead are driven to secure for themselves (or protect) their own personal gain and not the benefit or gain of others, i.e., they are takers, not givers, and the weak link in the chain of any institution, business, or organization. Many, even most, in an organization can be good people, but if you lasso the head, you direct the body.

To say it another way, if you are a strategic person in an institution of influence, you are a fat target and most likely will be approached and potentially attacked and compromised, so be prepared. Satan has many ways to compromise feckless, weak, or naive humans. He studies, knows, and ⁵exploits human frailties—which is true of all of us if we are not anchored in God through Christ.

If someone is not principled or loyal to a higher good or higher value system beyond their own private gain—such as loving and honoring God and their fellow man or woman—you can almost assume they are compromised in some form or fashion, whether knowingly or unknowingly.

The reason these controllers—who seek to recruit others to their cause—hate committed followers of Jesus (or the principles of some philosophy or religion) is that these followers are least likely to be controlled by someone else and are deliberately and uncompromisingly loyal to another, e.g., God—in the case of followers of Christ.

What we are talking about in this article is not about skill set or abilities, etc. We're talking about the character of individuals. Individuals who can be equally as gifted (if not more gifted) as those who are principled and have character, i.e., you can't tell the difference between those with character or without character by abilities alone. We're talking about people who will use their abilities and position to lie, cheat, and steal to get what they seek instead of serving their fellow man and honoring their true Creator.

Globalists are relentless in their pursuit of power and control. They are master manipulators and power-hungry control freaks. Therefore, "... Be sober-minded; be watchful..."

Globalists relentlessly seek to influence and control anything or anyone to further their ends, whether someone willingly cooperates or not. This is why those who wish to remain free and loyal to their Creator must always be vigilant and prepared to resist and fight against globalist (satanic) control.

These controllers and deceivers are children of Satan—whether knowingly or unknowingly. Satan is the father of lies, the accuser, the destroyer of all things good - which come from God - and the great deceiver, all wrapped up in one being. If someone is of the same character and conducts themselves in this same way, they are following in his footsteps and thereby become a tool in his hand—whether knowingly or unknowingly.

For a discussion of the difference between dictators and leaders, click here. 

For a discussion of the difference between malicious intent and unintentional incompetence, click here

For a much closer look at whether AI is unbiased, click here

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Footnotes:

¹ Have you ever wondered why so many actors are politically left-leaning?

² This is why Trump is least likely to willingly be controlled by others—contrary to many of the conspiracy theories that say he's knowingly part of some bigger nefarious plot.

The globalist controllers will attempt to utilize Trump's actions (or anyone else's) to their ends, and may even have some success, but that is not necessarily because of someone's willing cooperation.

There is a difference between being a willful co-conspirator vs. a useful idiot. Intention matters and determine how to utilize and compromise each. And if the globalists can't turn someone willfully through bribe or threat, they will try to utilize them some other way and any way possible to further their agenda.

Trump's weakness is the need for constant praise and the need to be better than anyone else, but this is different than doing things deliberately for their own benefit. I believe Trump's desire to help others is genuine and sincere. It is also the primary means by which he seeks to garner praise.

This is his Achilles heel, and I think how he got sucked into the COVID narrative… though not one hundred percent. He utilized hydroxychloroquine and pushed back on shutting down schools and businesses.

For a further discussion on the contrasts between Trump and Fauci's positions on COVID, click here. 

Trump is a pragmatic businessman and strategist, not an ideologue, i.e., it's all about the bottom-line results for Americans and their economy.

³ Approached by whom? Anyone who seeks to advance an agenda contrary to God's kingdom and promotes man's control and rule over other men vs. God's rule of love.

⁴ for an engaging look at how satan works, read "Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis

⁵ Since the use of AI is increasing rapidly, and in time will become a greater influence on how we seek answers to handle problems, here are some vital questions we need to ask ourselves.

Which AI do we use for general inquiries?

Does it matter which AI we use when dealing with philosophical views?

Do certain AI's have a philosophical bias or do they all only base conclusions on hard facts and proven evidence?

For a much closer look at these questions, click here

Is "tribalism" ok or racist?

We are most comfortable with those who are most like us. 

Why?

Because we are more affirmed and feel safer (more comfortable) around those like us. It is common ("natural or normal") for everyone to feel this way. It is not unique to any one group - white, black, brown, yellow, etc. 

Why?

It takes a lot more self-denial and sacrifice to relate to those who do not have the same values and interests as we do. If we have any interaction with others we have nothing in common with, or who are at least like us, our focus and energy must be on them, not on our interests and needs. ¹This kind of interaction is more about giving than getting. It requires less effort and sacrifice to interact with those most like us.

For the above reasons, being with those most like us tends to energize us. Being with those least like us tends to drain us. If we are not full of love, loving others different from us is impossible to maintain ⁷long-term. 

For the same reasons, harmony is more pleasant and enjoyable than disharmony. We are naturally drawn to harmony. Harmonious relationships tend to energize us. They affirm and reinforce our interests. Those that drain us tend to be challenging with more conflict.

There is also a practical benefit of working with those who are most like us. When we are in a joint effort, uniformity can result in greater cooperation and efficiency. This is good, not bad.

Some accuse others of racism for having these sentiments and being naturally drawn to those most like themselves. Yet, if we are honest, this is common with all groups. 

Is this ⁵racist? If so, every last one of us - regardless of our ethnicity - is a racist. Hanging out with others for the above reasons is common to everyone. 

Some call this ²tribalism. But is tribalism racism? It is no different from when you and I prefer being with loving friends or family ("our tribe") rather than with a group of strangers.

Having ³these sentiments is common in all relationships and "groups." The very act of accusing someone else of being guilty of this - as if they aren't themselves "guilty" - is exercising this very attitude by the accusation.  

This is why a loving family is so valuable (if we are blessed enough to have one). A healthy, loving family is a place where we are best known for both our strengths and flaws, and still most accepted and embraced. It is usually where we feel most free to be our real selves, with the least concern about ridicule or rejection.

Racism, on the other hand, is very different. It is an attitude of superiority based on one's ethnicity (group/"tribe"). It is believing we - our "group" - are better, ⁶objectively, more important or valuable than others. This may be true subjectively - i.e. more valuable to us - but not objectively.

But isn't this also true of friendships? No one considers having friends racist. Good friends are good, important, and valuable to us personally. They encourage and strengthen us. That is a good thing, is it not?

While close relationships may be more important to us subjectively, they are not necessarily so objectively.

On the other hand, it is not wrong to love those who are ¹different from us. It is what we are called to do. In fact, as followers of Christ, we are called to love those opposed to us, i.e., our enemies. It just takes the most energy of all interactions and ⁴directly the least immediately rewarding, if not harmful - but potentially the most rewarding indirectly. 

To be able to love those least like us is not natural but ¹supernatural. For this reason, it is good to love others who are different from us. It requires greater dependence on God to love others sacrificially. 

In fact, it is impossible to love sacrificially until we experience the sacrificial love of God offered to us in and through Christ. 

God calls us to this because this is how He loves us...

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. " - Matt 5:43-48

But again, is it wrong to gravitate to others we are most like and have the most in common with? This is actually the basis for friendship. No one would suggest friendship is wrong. Yet some would have us believe it is and call it ⁵"tribalism" - which is the "first cousin" to racism according to those who throw these derogatory labels around.  

The irony is it is usually actual racists that push the narrative that being drawn to others most like us is wrong when, in fact, everyone participates in friendship and considers it not only perfectly normal but healthy.  

We are all far more alike than different.

One thing all of us have in common, that unites us at the strongest and most basic level, is we all desire to be loved, valued, affirmed, and important, i.e., we are designed for love because we are designed to be in relationship with God, who is love. We are all like God, who continuously gives and receives love among the Father, Son, and Spirit. We are in His image.  

And what is God like? The most valuable person of all. Without Him, nothing else exists. We are valuable by virtue of being like God - i.e., in His image.

In summary, it is not wrong or racist to feel more comfortable around those who are more like us. Nevertheless, we are called to a higher standard and to reach out and love those who are least like us, even our enemies. Not loving those different from us is not racist. Unloving, yes. Racist, no. 

For a discussion on identity politics Click here

For a discussion on the joys and challenges of giving, click here. 

To see if God has anything to say about immigrants or immigration, click here.

For a discussion on values, culture, and racism, click here.

For a discussion on racism and the necessity of forgiveness, click here

For a discussion on what divides us, click here.

For a discussion of the harmful nature of identity politics, click here.

What is the nature of racial privilege? Click here for a discussion.

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Footnotes:

¹People who are culturally different from us can have one main thing in common with us. A relationship with God through Christ. This connection is stronger than any natural ties we may have with those most like us culturally, intellectually, in appearance, etc. This is the most significant and deepest common denominator we can have. Especially those least like us naturally. What lovers of Christ have in common is even more significant than the connection among a loving family - though very much like it in important ways. 

If we are among others who have this deep spiritual connection with God, we are dealing with others who are focused on giving and not getting. This is the strongest possible bond we can have with anyone, even immediate family who do not have a love relationship with Christ. True believers are people who seek to love their neighbors as they love themselves. This is the greatest and most unifying value of all. This is also why Christ called loving God and others the greatest commandments.

When this is the central focus of a group of people, it is the strongest point of unity and overrides all other differences. In fact, it allows us to enjoy the differences of others as their uniqueness is a reflection of the creativity of God. This is unity within diversity.

This is why a strong church can be filled with a diversity of cultures and ethnicities yet still be united under this most central point of unity. A relationship of receiving love from our Creator and loving Him in return and our neighbor as we love ourselves. This is greater than any differences and can override them all when we are governed by love.

The two greatest commandments are the greatest not simply because we are told they are but because they summarize the purpose of our existence and the very nature of God and His creatures, i.e., to love as we are loved.

Anything we place a higher value on over our relationship with the Creator is a form of idolatry. Nothing is more valuable than God. Not our culture, race, vocation, or even our family.

This is why churches segregated by race or culture - e.g., white, black, Hispanic, Jewish, etc. - are likely not as honoring to God. To be segregated in this way is to value our culture and personal preferences over loving and valuing God and our neighbor. 

If we are separated by a language barrier, that is a separate issue that can be addressed on a church-to-church basis. But outside of this...

 "...in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise." - Gal 3:26-29

²Some subcultures are so strong they have their very own "lingo."  Some examples would be the hip-hop world, the technology world, the academic world, the world of sports, the medical or health world, etc.  These are subcultures within a culture. 

³Having common values is so important that if we do not, it can even lead to husbands and wives separating. We call it "incompatibility" when, in fact, it is actually a matter of love, or the lack of it. 

⁴By directly, I mean we rarely gain any direct benefit from those we seek to love who are different from us. The benefit we may gain, however, is from seeing others blessed by our efforts to love them. It is an indirect gain. This is not something that comes from them, but comes as a result of loving others as Christ loves, i.e., seeing them flourish because of our efforts. This is what God is like. We are acting like God when we love in this way.  

⁵There can be a problem with tribalism, but it isn't racism as some assert. The problem is it is basically about me, my needs, my wants. So in that sense it is wrong and contrary to our initial design, not because it's racist. 

This focus on self is the result of our rebellion against God and our failed attempt to be our own God. Based on the current condition of the world, it is clear we have failed miserably at being our own gods.

Everything is a mess because of our rebellion. We are now missing the love we once had in a relationship with God, caused by our choosing to disconnect from God, the very Source of love. Now we go about trying to fill that void caused by His absence through created things and our own efforts to obtain them.

The fact is we weren't designed to be our own god and to make life work without the only true God. We were designed to be in union with Him. The source of love, life, and all things, and experiencing a constant flow of love from Him. This enables us to pass love (from Him) on to others. 

We are not an endless spring of love. Only God is. We, on the other hand, are vessels or conduits that can hold and pass on the flow of love from God to and through us to others.

The main point about tribalism is it's not unique to a certain race but common among all humanity, for we have all rebelled from God. But this is not racism as is asserted by some. It is the broken condition of all humanity -  including you and I - not a particular group or race.

⁶ VS subjectively, where someone or some group can be more valuable to us personally.

⁷ Unless or until we find out that all humanity has far more in common at the most fundamental level of who we are as bearers of God's image, i.e., we are all designed by God to love and be loved by Him and to pass on that love to others. This is God's greatest desire i.e. will, directive, commandment etc.

being righteous, living righteously

Is there a difference between being righteous - our legal status before God - and living righteously - our daily conduct? 

Many within the church confuse these and mix them together. Though they are clearly connected, they are completely distinct. 

Even though God grants us total righteousness (our perfect legal standing) before Him in Christ, he still desires us to ¹live righteously. Many, when they first understand righteousness is a gift conclude how we live no longer matters.

But it is only through ¹righteous living we are most aligned and in tune with God ⁵practically. We love others as we are designed to, and best put God on display - i.e. honor and glorify Him - through loving actions toward others. 

But these actions do not save us or make us more acceptical to God. 

He designed us to be aligned with his will in our everyday conduct, so we might:

1. experience more of Him and His love (John 14:21,23; 15:9-10) 

2. best honor and glorify Him before others. 

3. Advance His ⁵kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

These are the desired outcomes of the good standing He has fully secured for us and assigned to us in Christ. 

God grants (gifts) us a right legal standing, so we might live right. We don't live right to enhance our legal standing with Him (this has already been perfectly settled in and by Christ), but so we might partake of Him more fully and reflect Him more clearly in our everyday lives. 

He wants us to live righteously so we might more fully participate in His love, life, and joy, and pass it on to others more effectively. 

Why is this important? To make is more acceptable to God? No!

This brings more attention (honor) to Him, so others might be drawn to Him through us and thereby also find in Him fullness of life by means of our righteous conduct. This advances and establishes His righteous ⁵reign on earth. The very thing Christ taught his disciples to pray for.

"Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." - Matt 6:10 

The idea of being made right so we would live right is expressed in several places in scripture, but most often and clearly in Paul's letter to the Romans.

‭‭Romans 6:4 ESV‬‬

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

‭‭Romans 7:4 ESV‬‬

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (i.e. we are perfectly right with God in Christ). For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us..." - Rom ‭8:1‭-‬5‬

Each of the above 3 passages shows that the desired outcome of God making us right with Him (i.e., righteous before Him legally) is that we might live righteously. 

In fact, in several of Paul's letters (Ephesians, Colossians, ³Hebrews and Romans) the first part of these letters lays out what God has done for us regarding our unrighteous status - i.e. He has made us righteous in and through Christ.  The remaining part of each letter addresses how we are to conduct our lives in light of this and in response to it.

This is clearest in the entire book of Romans, where the first 11 chapters elaborate on our alienation from God and what He has done to restore us in Christ - i.e., the explanation of the good news ( the gospel - Rom 1:16 ). Then, from chapter 12 on, it shifts to how we conduct ourselves in light of this good news. 

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, (i.e. in light of what I have said up to this point regarding our dilemma and God's solution) to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable (well pleasing) to God, which is your spiritual worship. Rom 12:1

What is the appropriate response to Christ sacrificing His life to restore us back to His Father? Our becoming a living sacrifice in our everyday lives!

The ending phrase "spiritual worship" indicates this is a heartfelt response, not a rigid duty or legal requirement. 

A response to what? To God providing the righteousness, we must have to be in good standing with the Father, by assigning Christ's perfect standing with the Father to us.

Did only Paul address this? No, Peter, James, and John did as well.

"When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness i.e. in our everyday conduct..." - 1 Pet 2:23-24

This connection of our righteous status resulting in righteous conduct in our every day lives by multiple writers isn't a coincidence. Righteous living must always flow out of our right status with God (because we could never meet the requirements of living a perfectly righteous life unaided) i.e., righteous living will and must always flow out of a righteous standing before God. If it does not - if there is no fruit of righteous living - the scriptures call us to make sure we are truly His child. This is clearly implied and stated explicitly in the above and other passages. So much so that scripture tells us if how we live has not changed since we came to Christ, we need to be sure we truly know Him. 

For a further discussion on being right vs living right click here 

For a discussion on "working out" our salvation click here.

What is the good news? click here

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Footnotes: 

¹What exactly is righteous living or living righteously? When our conduct is perfectly aligned with God's ⁴design and will.

And what is God's design (will) for us and all creation? That in everything we do and say we honor and glorify him. And in doing so, we also experience our greatest significance - glory. 

And how do we best honor and glorify him? By loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and our neighbors as ourselves. Love (i.e. relationship) is the driving force of righteous conduct. Carrying out these commandments or living righteously - i.e. treating others as we wish to be treated - is the result. 

God's love for us is first, and our responding back to him in love is the result. We will not value or love God above all others until we first grasp and experience his value of us and love for us. 

God is the initiator and source of love. If we are not plugged into Him (His infinite love for us) and thereby drawing strength from Him, we can never be loving as we were designed to be. When we see and experience his love, we "light up," come to life, bear fruit, and become the true bearers of His image as we were created to be.  

God is the power supply, we are the conduits. He is the treasure, we are jars of clay. He is the vine, we are the branches.

Which comes first, our valuing and loving Him or Him valuing and loving us? We love him because he first loved us.

³There is good reason to believe Paul dictated the book of Hebrews to Luke, who wrote it. The way the letter flows and unfolds - the thorough knowledge of the OT - is characteristic of other letters by Paul (a well-studied Jewish Pharisee), not someone who is a Greek Gentile such as Luke. 

But the style and elegance of the Greek used in the book is indicative of Luke also seen in Acts and Lukes gospel. So some suggest Hebrews was a collaboration between Paul and Luke. 

There are other reasons some believe Paul dictated it. Primarily because, as far as we know, all but one of Paul's letters (including Hebrews) was dictated. Possibly because of poor eyesight from his being blinded by beholding Christ on the road to Damascus.

Also Luke was a highly educated Greek national and medical doctor, fluent in "high" Greek. 

Hebrews was written with grammatical precision, using several words unique to the book of Hebrews. This was uncharacteristic of Paul's other letters but similar to the gospel of Luke. For these reasons, some think Paul didn't write it but dictated it to Luke. Explaining why it has characteristics of both Paul and Luke. The fact that he considered himself the apostle to the Gentile adds even more credibility to this view. 

It is also believed Paul deliberately did not identify as the author since he was considered the apostle to the Gentiles and not looked upon favorably by the Judaizers from Jewish circles within the church. 

Some suggest Paul deliberately left his name off to avoid any resistance to the letters' reception and wide circulation within the Jewish community at large. After all, why would the apostle to the Gentiles be writing a letter to Hebrews?  

But Paul's love for his own people was clearly expressed in Romans chapter 9. Knowing this, it would make perfect sense that he still had an intense desire to reach his people even though God had called him to be an apostle to the Gentiles. 

⁴this is given either as a direct order in writing, verbally, and by Christ's example - all of which are recorded in scripture.

⁵and advance His kingdom most. Our actions matter, either advancing or hindering God's kingdom. 

legitimate vs illegitimate business

What distinguishes a legitimate enterprise or business from an illegitimate one? 

Being ¹service driven vs. solely profit-driven.

There is nothing necessary wrong with profit in itself, but when profit becomes the ²sole motive, serving others becomes irrelevant or secondary at best and usually leads to ⁴harming others. This is a disservice and the opposite of serving others.

When an enterprise is focused on ²serving others we are loving our neighbors and helping them flourish. The result is that the "consumer"  ²benefits. 

We are dependent on certain things to not only survive but to flourish and function to our maximum capacity. To provide those things for God's honor and the bettering of our fellow man or woman is to serve both God and humankind.

If we are diligent in serving others, it often results in our economic benefit as well, i.e. profit. We "win" by helping others "win." But serving others is and should always be our focus, regardless. 

As believers, this is carrying out the commandment to love our neighbor as we love ourselves i.e. treating others the way we would like to be treated. If we gain (profit) in this exercise, this is a good thing, not bad i.e. it is not exploiting our fellow man or the planet, as ⁵some assert, but the possible (though not automatic) fruit of serving them.  

The most successful enterprises are those that find a ¹legitimate ³need of others and meet it better than anyone else. The greater the need, the greater the service provided. The greater the service, the greater the opportunity for profit if we are diligent. 

For a discussion on sowing and reaping click here. 

For a discussion on socialism vs capitalism click here. 

For a discussion on doing things with excellence click here. 

For a discussion on whether the pursuit of money is ever legit click here.

For a discussion on what exactly money is click here. 

For a discussion on cryptocurrency, click here. 

For a discussion on giving as we have received, click here

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Footnotes:

¹The nature of the need is also vital in determining the legitimacy of the enterprise or service e.g. providing healthy food vs junk food is a legitimate endeavor. Providing a want such as junk food (or pornography, or abortions etc) simply because there is a demand for it is not. There may be large profits in these kinds of offers, but if an offer is contrary to God's design it is ultimately destructive and a disservice to others and humanity at large regardless of how great the demand or profit.

²Even when profit becomes the primary motive, serving others becomes secondary, which also ultimately leads to people's ⁴harm and the opposite of serving others.

Serving others is good for both the provider and the consumer. This is a "win-win" scenario. 

³We must distinguish between needs and wants. Needs are vital to our existence and flourishing. Wants, no matter how great, are merely what we desire but will not result in our perishing if we can't acquire them i.e. they are not essential to our existence but may only be for greater convenience and comfort versus greater fruitfulness i.e. productivity. 

We are called to be productive (fruitful). Anything that enables us to do so is legitimate. Helping others be more efficient so they have more time to be more productive is a legitimate endeavor. 

This is our initial mandate in the Old Testament:

‭‭Genesis 1:28-30 

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 

This is repeated in the New Testament: 

‭‭John 15:5...

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing... 

 

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples...

 

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, - regarding advancing God's rule (kingdom) of love - he may give it to you. 

⁴Such as using corn syrup in foods as a sweetener because it is cheaper and adds more to the bottom line even though it's harmful to us.

⁵Ayn Rand asserted capitalism and altruism are opposites and do not mix i.e. in a true free market system we can not benefit (win) by helping others benefit (win). 

Click here for a 2-minute video of her explaining worldview. 

However, as an atheist, she didn't understand the dynamic of being empowered to love others when we know we are fully loved. 

She interpreted altruism as a giving away of our dignity - or others taking it from us - and not an expression of the dignity we derive from God, the eternal overflowing fountain of love. She saw altruism only as others taking from us by force vs our freely, gladly, and willingly giving to others out of our fullness of receiving all things from our Creator. A subtle but vital distinction. 

This distinguishes God's Kingdom from communism. This also reveals how the progressive side of the church is unwittingly sympathetic to communism, which is vastly different from advancing God's kingdom by loving our neighbor. 

Givers vs takers

For a discussion on how we are designed to be givers and not takers click here.

When service is our primary focus - but profit is also desired

(though not primary) - this puts innovation front and center. It causes us to continually look for creative ways to meet the unmet needs of our fellow humans and how to also generate the necessary funding to continue to do so. 

Often, but not always, the copycats of legitimate and successful innovation are driven purely by profit, not necessarily how to better serve humanity. 

Healing trauma

There is a great deal of focus these days by ⁷some on trauma and past wounds. They either focus on their family of origin or some past personal traumatic event, or both. As a result, many are on a never-ending quest to uncover forgotten or hidden wounds in the hope - incomplete, I would suggest - that this will somehow unlock them from their prison of internal pain, restlessness, loneliness, and meaninglessness. 

If the sought-after relief is not found by uncovering conventional wounds, some even explore ¹generational trauma passed down through their ancestors, which they have no immediate connection to.

While these exercises may be helpful and have ⁵significant value, they miss the more fundamental and deeper issue. All such wounds are ²secondary and can only take root in our hearts because of a far more significant ³primary trauma or wound which is not unique to us individually but we ⁴all experience. 

To work through and be freed from secondary wounds, I suggest we not focus exclusively on them but first address the highly critical and life-altering primary wound we ⁴all have in common.

Because of this primary wound, we all are emotionally fragile at best, resulting in even the ⁵slightest offense - i.e., secondary wounds - throwing us into "trauma" and seemingly scarring us irreparably.

Instead of focusing on our secondary wounds, we should focus on the perfect healing offered to us for our primary wound.

Why?

Until we experience healing of our primary wound, we can never be truly freed from any secondary wounds. 

As our primary wound heals - via an increasing grasp of the good news (the gospel) - the more we are freed and able to fully acknowledge our secondary wounds and be released from them. And the more resilient and impervious we become to all new wounds. 

Simply stated, the more whole we become, the less these secondary wounds impact or control us.

So what exactly is this primary wound? 

It is the severing of our connection with and alienation from our Creator, the Source of love, life, and all things. 

However, this wound is different. It is due to our turning away from God in distrust (unbelief), i.e., this wound is self-inflicted, i.e., one we choose. We are not the victim of this wound but the cause - perpetrators... every one of us, no exceptions. 

If there is a "victim," it is God Himself (objectively speaking. God doesn't need us; we need him. Nor can He be personally diminished by us and our choices, but He is only diminished in the eyes of others because of our disregard of Him, causing them harm)

Unlike secondary wounds that are only experienced by some - such as sexual, emotional, or physical abuse - our primary wound is experienced by each and every one of us from the outset of the human race, beginning at the rebellion of our original parents (our original ancestors if you prefer) in the garden of Eden and continued by us in refusing to trust all God has done (and does) for us to free us of our primary wound in and through Christ.

The significance of this trauma is far greater than most of us know, much less understand. It results in us cutting ourselves off from God, the very Source of life and love. 

How can this not be traumatic? It is so traumatic that it has plunged the entire human race and all creation itself into ⁶all the hurt, pain, suffering, and death we daily hear, see, or experience to this day. It is the underlying reason behind all pain and suffering in the world, as well as our individual secondary wounds. 

This primary wound is so significant that secondary wounds will increasingly shape and cripple us less, as our primary wound begins and continues to heal.

For an even deeper discussion on the process we must go through to be healed of our pimary wound, click here.

This primary wound is ⁴common to everyone, unlike secondary wounds, which may be similar but also unique to each of us. 

Why does this matter, and how is it different from secondary wounds? We all are in the "same boat" regarding this primary trauma and can therefore appreciate a common healing for all who receive and experience it. 

The state of humanity in all its ⁷loneliness, pain, and destructiveness in itself is evidence enough that humanity at large is disconnected and deeply wounded and in pain i.e., traumatized. Among other things, this results in all other trauma (secondary wounds) taking root and crippling us if not properly addressed.

This does not minimize secondary wounds but helps us to better understand them and not see ourselves as victims or feel isolated from the rest of humanity, who may not have gone through the same secondary trauma we have.

What is the solution to our primary wound? Christ!  Seeing and trusting in all Christ did (all the pain he took upon Himself caused by our turning away from God) to restore us to His Father and our Creator. He did this so we might ultimately be fully healed of our primary wound and free of all pain in eternity. 

It's not just what God says, but what he did.

The saying goes, "Actions speak louder than words." God says He loves us, but He did far more than just say it; he proved it in and through the actions and sacrifice Christ made to restore us. 

Because of Christ, not only is the healing of our primary internal wound offered (i.e. restoration to God from our alienation with the very Source of life and love) but we are promised God's perfect ongoing providential (existential) love and care is also ours regardless of our past or present circumstances (all otherwise potentially traumatic events), as well as the eventual and total delivery from the very presence of all pain and suffering when we are fully restored through our resurrection into complete union with the Source of life, love, and all things.

Nothing will ever separate us from God's love again once we receive the spiritual and emotional healing offered to us in Christ. This love is perfectly ours right now if we receive it, and the fundamental truth we all must internalize if we are to be freed from past wounds, both primary and secondary. The more we see, grasp, and internalize (believe) this reality, the freer we become of all secondary wounds.

For a discussion on being an offender as well as offended, click here.

For a discussion on how God loves the offender and offended, click here.

For a discussion on being a victim vs "playing the victim," click here.

For a discussion on why our kids rebel, click here.

For a discussion on how we have God's love perfectly but not yet fully, click here. 

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Footnotes:

¹You even see this within some church circles - mostly within the more charismatic and fundamentalist circles. 

They cite Deut 5:9 as a support text. But in the context, this has more to do with the outward consequences of placing a higher value on something other than God. Our kids will mirror our values (how we live our life vs how we say it should be lived) through several generations. 

This passage isn't specifically addressing internal trauma but destructive external behavior that our kids pick up through our example, both good and bad (often unbeknownst to the parents). 

²What are the effects or results of our primary wound? There is a subtle but constant undercurrent in our lives of feeling inadequate, insignificant, unimportant, abandoned, rejected, or the like. We believe we no longer matter to the Creator. In short, we no longer feel or believe our Creator cares and loves us, but is only angry and disappointed in us. If we were raised in a loving and stable family, this is less obvious but still exists just the same. If we are raised in a home that emphasized external conformity to certain kinds of behavior, our sense of failure and insignificance might be exaggerated.

Yet He - who is the very Source and cause of life, love, and all things - sent His Son to restore us back to Himself when we were in full-blown rebellion to Him. This clearly indicates that we are not insignificant to Him but just the opposite. 

Our sense of abandonment is not because God abandoned us, but rather we abandon Him. 

³What are the effects or results of our secondary wounds? Any event brought about by hurtful interaction with creation - be that at the hand of other image bearers (i.e. humanity) of God or with nature (creation) in general - which causes us to feel insignificant, unimportant, abandoned, rejected… i.e. we don't matter. In short, we no longer feel or believe we are loved because of actions by those secondary sources of love who wound us.

⁴Knowing this is a common problem and struggle helps keep us from having a "pity party" (at the center of a victim mindset) and developing a martyr's complex - e.g., we might say to ourselves or others, "You just don't understand! No one has experienced the pain I have..." But they have. In fact, everyone has to some degree, but most importantly, especially Christ Himself. No one has or ever will suffer as a true victim as Christ did...and that for our sake. He truly was a victim so we could be freed from it. 

It also helps create unity among God's children as we work together and encourage each other in addressing this common problem - as well as the solution - of alienation from God and restoration through Christ. This is, in fact, the primary unifying force within the church universal - which can be greater than our cultural differences if we receive it - and an essential element of the good news of God's offer of full restoration i.e., the "gospel."

⁵Slight only compared to our primary wound of separation from our Creator. A separation from the very source of life, love, and all things. Secondary wounds are very real, and some are devastating, but still minor in comparison to separation from God and what Christ endured for us.

 ⁶We and the rest of creation have been deeply harmed and crippled and are only a fraction of our original design. It took the eternal Son of God taking on human form and stepping into this world of pain and suffering - the result of our turning away from our Creator - and letting it kill him, so we might be free one day.

⁷This seems more common among those who are under 45. But even those among us who experience the best circumstances and most stable upbringings experience these things. Something major is still missing - we all long for more because we were created for far more...i.e. the full acceptance, embrace, and union with the very Source of life, love, and all things even in our state of distrust... Only possible because of Christ's efforts on our behalf.

⁸No doubt, the fracturing of the family unit through divorce and the increase in broken homes since the early 60s has contributed to this trend.