consequences and benefits of the law

Regarding the law scripture tells us there are...

Benefits  (blessings) in following it

and

Consequences (curses) of not following it

(by law I mean God's moral law summarized in the greatest and second commandment)

Those benefits and consequences fall under two broader categories.

·        Legal

·        Practical

Legal benefits:

If we operated according to the law perfectly we would be operating in alignment with and according to God's will and our design. This would be honoring and pleasing to God and result in a right standing with God as well as a harmonious relationship with him. 

It would also result in a harmonious alignment with who we are - i.e. our design - and how the rest of creation is designed to function. 

We would be living as God has designed us to and therefore - as his approved image bearers, instead of rebellious and condemned creatures - not cut off from and outside of his love. 

This was what Adam had before he broke trust with God and would have continued to have had as long as he had not rejected God's instructions/direction to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Of course, we do not and can not live in perfect obedience now due to our spiritually dead condition that resulted from rejecting God's direction/law to not eat of the forbidden tree i.e. in our present condition outside of Christ and apart from God's Spirit living in us and revealing to us the beauty of God - which stirs us to pursue God - we have no innate resources to obey God as we were designed to. We are helpless spiritually. Without outside intervention by God infusing His love back into us we have no hope. 

Legal consequences:

When we operate outside the law (his design and will) we come under the rightful and just condemnation and judgment of God for dishonoring him and others. We go from being faithful children to self-declared enemies. We are in opposition to what is right and against the true order of things. As a result, we are ultimately and rightfully tried, condemned, and sentenced. Most importantly we are against the one who gives us the proper way to conduct ourselves for the benefit of all and for his honor. 

All harm or loss can not go unaddressed but must be restored/paid back to those we harmed, who suffered loss.

Practical benefits:

When we operate according to our original design (which the law reveals and lays out for us) we are aligning ourselves with the reality of who God is and who we are. We are behaving exactly as we should; fulfilling our design as perfect image bearers of God, perfectly loving him according to who he is and the love and honor due him, and also perfectly reflecting him to others; causing others to consider him and find perfect joy and delight in him through our displaying his worth/glory. 

This results in our operating to the maximum of our capacity and having the maximum impact for good. We are drawing near to God and thereby experiencing more of who God is (the author of love and life) and desires us to experience of him in all his glory. This results in our loving others as they were designed to be loved and our greatest joy in operating according to that design. 

Practical consequences:

Why are we now his enemies? Because this results in harm, loss, and potential destruction to others (as well as our own harm) whom he created and loves e.g. "...you mess with those I love, you are messing with me..." 

That destruction is displayed in two ways. 

Dishonoring Him:

To dishonor God is to harm others because we are not displaying God by our words and deeds as he truly is (all loving, wise, powerful, and glorious). We are not demonstrating to others the complete worthiness and greatness of God, through our total loyalty/obedience to him. This results in others being drawn away from him, not too him due to our behavior, and hinders their experiencing him, the source of love, life, and all things, which is to their benefit.  

In short, we are denying others the love and life in and from God that we were designed to display and they are designed to experience through us as fellow image bearers. 

Dishonoring Others:

To harm others is also to dishonor God.  We dishonor God when we harm those who are in God's image and the objects of his love i.e. God places value on all his image bearers and their well-being. After all, they are like God and therefore his beloved creatures. 

When we operate outside the perimeters of our original design, it results also in our loss of love and life (i.e. God himself) with all the subsequent consequences i.e. pain suffering, and eventual death.

The importance of the law; some additional thoughts:

In order to stay in a harmonious relationship with anything (animate or inanimate), we must understand first that everything operates a *certain way.  We must align ourselves with how something operates if we are to enjoy all the benefits of aligning with that design and not incur the natural consequences of violating the design of whatever/whoever that is.

*(i.e. according to absolute and objective laws/principles. For a discussion of the grounds for right and wrong/morality click here).

This starts with God first. God is the first cause of all things. He is also a certain way (he is love) and operates according to a specific purpose/end i.e. to multiply his love to others which only occurs when others see him in all his majesty. Therefore all he has created is designed to operate a certain way and toward a specific end (for us that means to receive his infinite love and reflect it back to him and out to others).  

When we do not follow his design (spelled out in the law) we are acting contrary to God's design and will. This results in our harming others (as well as ourselves), which in turn results in the necessity (i.e. requirement) that we restore those we have harmed (it is required because they are also designed for love and worthy of being treated with love by virtue of God's design). This violation is a practical result of not following the law (his will/design), which has legal consequences.

This also addresses the question of sin. What is it exactly? 

For sin to exist, there must be a violation of some objective reality, order or design i.e. for a violation to occur, there must be an order or design that can be violated.

Sin is simply rebellion from or violation of who God is (the God of love, life and all things), who we are and how he designed things to operate. 

God's declared moral law is simply God communicating in words how we are designed to operate. To disobey the law is to distrust and reject the Designer. 

How does violation of God's law harm others: a recap

First it dishonors God i.e. it minimizes or out right dismisses the honor and glory *rightly due him. A glory that belongs only to him because he alone is the cause and sustainer of all things.

It does not harm God in the sense God is diminished in his person/being in some way. 

Act 17:24  The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25  nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything... 

God is self sustained within his being as Father, Son and Spirit and therefore needs no one outside himself. Whereas everything needs and depends on God. The very existence of everything is caused by him and depends entirely on his existence. We owe everything to him. He owes us nothing. 

Though he can never be diminished in his being, he can be diminished in the eyes of our fellow images bearers (and the rest of creation can thereby be harmed). This is displeasing to God because God is love and loves all of his creation and particularly those who are in his image (God said everything he created was good Gen 1:4 ff). This harm carries with it both legal and practical consequences.

It also dishonors and harms others. How? It is to their harm because God is the source of all things. If we live in a way that points others away from God as that source, instead of to him, it is to their harm. This is a practical consequence.

This destruction/harm must be restored, fixed or paid back. This is a legal consequence.

The challenge however is without God we do not have the resources to follow him perfectly or to adequately restore those we harm. We simply don't have the resources because we no longer have the source of them i.e. God. As rebels to God's will and design we have broken off relationship with the only one who gives life and love which enables us to live according to his design for us and fully pursue him. As rebellious image bearers we are cut off from the source of life and love, alone and powerless to carry out or pursue Gods design and will i.e. we are not able to see or pursue God on our own. A practical consequence.

This was the essence of God's warning that the day we act contrary to God's direction (which was to NOT eat of the tree of  the knowledge of God and evil) we will die i.e. he was warning us that we will cut ourselves off and no longer be connected to the source of love and life which enlivens, empowers and inspires us to pursue him. This resulted in our immediate spiritual death and eventually our physical death. Again a practical consequences.

 
The solution to our violation of God's law

Because Christ stepped in on our behalf and paid for the harm we have and do to others, and credited to us his track record of total faithfulness (Matt 5:17-18) to his father (as spelled out in the moral law), we are now looked upon as if we are those who perfectly obey God and therefore live in perfect harmony with his will and design (his moral law summed up in the greatest and second commandment) for us even though in reality we do not. He treats us (love us perfectly and infinitely, cares for us completely, receives and embraces us fully) as if we are perfect when we aren't.

Christ's work has totally secured  for us a right standing/status with God and therefore his infinite love for us as well, but this does not change the violation of our design or the need to operate according to God's will. There will still be practical consequences for not doing so, though no longer legal consequences i.e. if we are in Christ, there is no longer or every will be any judgment or condemnation again for violating God's will and the subsequent loss of God's love for us (Rom 8;1, 38-39).

There is still loss and harm to others however, when we do not love them as God does. And that loss must still be repaid. But because Christ has paid for it, we can now forgive those who violate us just as God offers to forgive them and us in Christ for violating him and others.

The outcome of that solution

Now as God's perfectly loved, fully accepted and embraced children, we are free from the condemnation of our violation of the law (God's perfect will and design). This freedom allows us (and also moves us) to now pursue God with all our heart soul mind and strength. It restores the love and trust we need to do so i.e. because God's love is now fully restored to us, this in turn increasingly restores our trust of him and love for him and the desire, will and strength to pursue him again (Rom 8:1-4).

This however does not spare us from the consequences of violated his will and design. Yet even in the pain of that violation/consequence God is working for our ultimate good and best. Our violations can no longer result in our ultimate harm but only in our ultimate gain (Rom 8:28-29) (though it still can cause temporary pain and suffering). 

Why are the legal and practical separate? 

For God's children, the legal and practical consequences and benefits are separated only because in our present state God has to deal with them separately given our ongoing propensity to sin i.e. even in Christ we are still inclined to go against God's law (will and design) and do. Even though in Christ we are just/righteous legally we are still unjust or unrighteous in practice (you could also say we are righteous objectively but not yet subjectively). We simply do not, in our present unglorified condition and present existence, love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength or our neighbor as ourselves. Once we are fully glorified this dichotomy will cease and we will be fully restored and whole as we were originally designed to be i.e. our experience will then match our legal status. 

Originally the legal and practical were both part of our experience simultaneously. But because of our rebellion, in order for God to freely pour out his love on us again, he had to address the legal consequence of our rebellion first and remove the barrier between us created by that rebellion. Eventually the full practical benefits (i.e. no more pain etc) will be our experience as well later in eternity  i.e. at our glorification.

To say it another way, God figured a way to love us even while we were still unlovely (not fully living/operating according to his will and design).  He did this by basing his love for us on the loveliness of another and not on ours (or our lack of loveliness). And because the loveliness of this other (Christ) is perfect, so now is God's love for us. 

Sin not only no longer interferes with or interrupts God's love for us, it now even becomes a tool God uses to teach us how to draw nearer to him. 

*For a fuller discussion of the basis for morality click here.

For additional discussions on how God uses sin to advance us click here.

The value of tension, paradox and seeming contradictions

Whenever God gives us a truth, there often seems to be an opposite truth that goes alongside it and appears contrary to it. Such as God is sovereign in the affairs of men and man is fully responsibility for his choices i.e. the "God is sovereign" vs man has a "free will" debate. 

Many key truths in scripture are in tension. The greatest truths seem to be those found within these greatest points of tension; between apparently opposing or opposite realities; the apparent contradictions and greatest paradoxes - i.e. there is a deeper and fuller truth hidden within the paradox and tension of seemingly opposite truths. If we humbly wrestle with and contemplate these seeming contradictions, God reveals vital truths about Himself and His creation we would otherwise miss. 

I would further suggest that those truths are in tension so we would press further into God in greater humility and trust, to discover the richest and most rewarding realities about Him (and ourselves) within the tension. Not an easy thing but the greatest challenges in life usually yield the greatest fruit.

If you dig into this blog further, you will notice many of the posts attempt to identify and address truths in the Bible that appear to be in tension. 


Paradox easily misunderstood. 

Because the most profound truths and realities are often found in tension, the deeper truths to be discovered within are easily missed, misapplied, or misunderstood.

Like walking a tightrope or fence - i.e. at the apex of truths in tension - if you lean too far to one side or the other you fall off and away from the truth God desires we uncover within the tension.

We prefer an "either-or" scenarios because ironically, it's a form of control (or rather an attempt at a false sense of control). We don't like doing a balancing act. It takes a lot of effort (trust) and can be uncomfortable and even exhausting. The desire to feel settled ("off the fence") versus feeling unsettled creates stress. We don't like stress, we prefer comfort and try to use control via logic to obtain it, which is a false sense of comfort. 

Feeling "settled" is a control thing, tension is a "faith" thing. What we can't control creates tension and requires trust. Ironically we must trust because we are not all knowing i.e. we are limited (finite). We dislike the idea that some things are beyond our understanding. 

Why denominations

I think these seemingly contradictory truths are also a primary reason there are often strong differences among various groups/denominations within the church at large. We settle on one side of those truths that are in tension to the exclusion of the other side (and gravitate to the group that agrees with us most) when both realities are not only taught in scripture but necessary for our greatest understanding of those deeper underlying truths and our greater advancement in our relationship and walk with God i.e. the advancement of our faith in God. 

I believe humility would go a long way in preventing denominational differences. We must recognize we are finite and only God is infinite, knowing all things. We must submit to Him when we have differences instead of dogmatically insisting (out of either a sense of insecurity or a need for control) that we see all things correctly and others don't i.e. we are right and others are wrong. At a minimum, we can recognize that if our understanding of who God is and how he operates is clearer today than it was "yesterday" it is only because of humility and recognizing we were once off the mark on certain things as well and must always listen and learn and recognize we have much yet to see and understand. 


Tension...the result of the fall

I propose however the tension is within us, not the truths themselves. First, it is part of our being finite creatures. Only God knows and sees all. We do not. We don't like this, however. The more we know the more we feel in control. Feeling "out of control" requires trust, i.e. the necessity to trust the One who is in control - which isn't us. 

Second, it also goes contrary to our rebellious commitment to independence i.e. to being our own god, trusting ourselves instead of Him who alone is all-seeing and all-knowing. 

Tension is part of being broken and living in a broken world. It is the fruit of death -- of separation from God, who is the only source of love and life. The death God warned Adam of. Tension is a kind of pain/suffering. 

When we rebelled, everything came unglued - fragmented. Not just our relationship with God, but with others and even with ourselves. We no longer truly know our own hearts and why we do what we do. As Jeremiah said, the heart is desperately wicked, who can know it?

Trust, not infinite knowledge

When we trust what we can't fully understand - because we are finite - the tension subsides or may go away altogether - though not necessarily the paradox causing the tension. The inability to reconcile the paradox may never go away on this side of eternity, if only because we see through a "glass darkly" in this present existence (or a mirror dimly, depending on the translation).

Tension is the fruit of our refusal to recognize our limits and ultimately the result of our mistrust in God; in his love, goodness, wisdom, and power. Tension is the fruit of placing our trust in ourselves and our ability to make sense out of life unaided, i.e. an attempt to operate independently of God. If we think we can, when we can't, we experience tension. 

However, there is no tension, confusion, mystery, or lack of clarity within God. Everything makes perfect sense to him. In fact, if we believe the claims within scripture, we know he sees and knows all -- is all-wise, is infinitely good and loving, and does everything accordingly; especially the things we don't understand. 

The way God is bringing things about is exactly the perfect way for them to be brought about. It is this reality we are ultimately called to believe/rest in. And it is this belief/trust we resist most.

"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." - Heb 11:6 ESV

We are called to believe God is who He claims to be. When we do, the tension subsides or at least doesn't distract us as much or cause as much turmoil. 

Some examples of truths in tension

·      You're totally and perfectly righteous before God in Christ. We are still totally broken and rebellious in our trust of God, and increasingly more aware of both as we mature in our faith. Yet still fully loved and embraced in our lingering rebellious distrust. 

·      To live you must die, 

·      To find your life you must lose your life

·      To be exalted (lifted high) you must be humbled (go low). 

·      "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." True wealth -- not necessarily material wealth -- comes through poverty i.e. humility. 

·      "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." The greatest comfort often comes through the greatest sadness and pain.

·      "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" -- conquering comes through surrendering.

·      "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied -- fullness comes through hunger.

·      God is the Sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things yet he brings about the advancement of his kingdom only through his broken, flaw filled people/the church. 

·      God hates evil yet fully incorporates evil in bringing about his perfect plans. 

·      God is perfectly sovereign in our salvation yet we alone are totally responsible for rejecting God's offer of that salvation.

·      Jesus was and is fully God while also fully man. 

·      God is one in essence but also three distinct persons.

In wrestling with these and many other truths in tension, we come closest to truly knowing God and his ways -- though not necessarily fully. 

There is always mystery. If there were not, God would cease to be the infinite, "bottomless," all-knowing God, and we would cease to look to him and trust him for greater understanding. We would depend on our reason alone (the ability to know the difference between good and evil - right from wrong - without confiding in God), the same lie Adam and Eve bought into in their rebellion.

And it is only in our looking to Him -- not just to our logic, and resting in him we find our greatest joy, contentment, rest, and peace -- lack of turmoil/confusion. If we seek these through perfect clarity of all mysteries, we will never have them because we are finite and broken, living in a broken world. To use a biblical description, we now "see through a glass darkly..." That will not change this side of eternity. We won't know as we are known until we see him face to face. So we must trust God and Christ are everything they claim to be and doing what they claim to be doing e.g. working all things together for the good of those who love Him  - and trust Him as well. 

That we are feeling tension in any given area, be it in our understanding of truth or our challenging circumstances -- and not being able to understand them and why we are experiencing them, is because there is an underlying reality yet to be discovered in or through the tension, and a place of trust we have yet to reach. 

It is this reality we must ask God to help us learn well. The tension requires us to do so.

Pain, tension, and spiritual advancement

It is in wrestling with the balance/tension between vital truths that we grow most.

CS Lewis alluded to this when he said truths (and lies) come in pairs and we must be careful to not back away in reaction to one error and fall off the cliff on the other side into another.

Our points of greatest pain, tension, and/or confusion are often our greatest times of epiphany and spiritual advancement.

This doesn't mean we should seek pain found in tension, but neither should we avoid it through some diversion such as entertainment, wealth, substance abuse or sex (to name the more common ones) when we can't avoid pain. Some tensions we cannot eliminate and should not. Rather, we need to delve in and wrestle with them to discover the great truths God has for us within them. When tension comes, embrace it and learn from it. It always has something to tell us about God and ourselves that is important, if we are listening.


Beauty is greatest when found in the harmony of diversity and tension

The beauty of God is not physical but has to do with his nature; with harmony in diversity - a key aspect of the Trinity - and how God makes the apparent contradictions of his being work and harmonize together; how there is no conflict within God; everything fits perfectly together.

And the greater the contrast (tension) and variation of the parts, the more unique, amazing, and beautiful it is when they harmonize. This is true of all relationships.

This is especially true of God's being, purposes, and plans. 

Who among us doesn't think "how beautiful" when we see things we wouldn't normally think would work together, harmonizing? The greater the contrast, the more harmony is required and the more beautiful it is. 


An example: the tension and the interplay of choice and the sovereignty of God.

Are we "free" to choose? 

God respects our ability to choose, so much that he lets us make poor decisions so we will figure out how bad they are and not make them again but turn away from them and make excellent ones next time. 

That way, when we do, it is our choice and no one else's. And not only are they our choices but we made them because we have come to love and trust God's direction and choose him by our free choice not because we were programmed to choose him. For true love to happen it must happen freely. If someone is "programmed" to love it is not true love freely given. The programming dictates the action. It is not a choice freely made.

However, this "figuring out" the right choice only occurs by God's Spirit. Our ability to choose is only because God sustains us and gives us this ability. If not, we would never see or figure this out i.e. God is sovereign in our choices. 

Because we are naturally inclined to try to control instead of trust, we avoid tension and try to relegate the mysteries of life into nice, neat, logical boxes and miss the full value of truths in Scripture that are in tension. 

The challenge is we like things -- including and maybe particularly God -- to fit into neat packages. This gives us a sense of control and requires less trust/faith. 

Tension, paradox, and apparent contradictions always require trust. We don't like trust, we like control. This was the essence of the serpent's appeal in the garden...you shall be like god -- in total charge of your life by -- knowing good and evil... i.e. you will no longer need to depend on or look to God for these things. He will no longer be necessary to help you figure out what is right or wrong, good or bad etc. That will be up to you now. You can make life work without him. 

How wrong we were and how right God was in his warning. We truly died i.e. broke away from the only true source of knowing what is right and wrong, and love and life - God himself - resulting in spiritual death. This eventually led to physical death and ultimately to all the brokenness in the world we now see. 

So we tend to fall on one side or the other of truths held in tension. In so doing we miss the deeper truths and riches that lie within that tension.

The irony is the more we trust God, the more he reveals to us and gives us a fuller understanding of those mysteries, even if not a complete understanding. 

Faith is about relationship, not faith

   

God is after growing our faith because he's after strengthening our relationship with Him.  In order to understand him more fully we must more fully trust him. All relationships require trust. This in large part is why I believe truths are in tension. Learning is found in the tension. Humility -- a key aspect of faith -- precedes learning. 

The fact that we are feeling tension in any given area, be it in our understanding of truth or our challenging circumstances, is because there is an underlying reality yet to be discovered in or through the tension and an opportunity to increase our trust in and strengthen our relationship with God. 

It is this reality we must find and ask God to help us learn well. When we do, the tension -- but not necessarily that which is causing the tension -- will subside or go away, possibly even altogether on occasion -- or at least more frequently. The degree to which we trust God is the degree to which we will have peace amid struggle/tension and also the degree to which God will give us a fuller understanding into those mysteries; a peace that "passes" - goes beyond or outside of understanding i.e. that is beyond logic and reasoning. 

·        For a discussion on the necessity of choice for love to be real, click here

·        For some posts on the freedom of choice, click here

.    For a discussion on free will click here.

·        For a discussion of the Calvinist/Arminian debate, click here

·        For a discussion on the necessity of       humility in seeing truth, click here

Exposing government corruption

This blog was not set up for political discourse (though we always seek to bring forth truth no matter what area of discussion) however from time to time I feel some things outside the usual area I cover are too vital to ignore.

Most of us are tired of all the politics and attacks during this ¹past (and apparently ongoing) political campaign. I propose the following summary of leaks released by Wikileaks (see link here or at the end of this post) may explain in great part what has been going on.

For those who might be fuzzy about the veracity of Wikileaks itself (due to misinformation from main stream media), all you need to know is they are simply an information clearing house, so to speak. They actually are doing what reporters should be doing. Reporting on things the government does that leakers feel the people should know about i.e. government corruption.

This by the way, was in fact why the founders believed freedom of the press is so vital. To be an unrestrained watchdog of government and a check on government corruption.

By the way, what would be the best way for those involved in government corruption to avoid scrutiny? Control the press. For more on this click here. 

By way of analogy, what if you worked for a bank and discovered the president and directors of the bank had developed a scheme by which money could be siphoned off into their own personal accounts without detection and you had solid proof this was occurring. But when you tried to bring this to others within the bank, they simply dismissed it as nuts (he's the president after all and everyone knows he's a good guy). They ridiculed you either out of fear of losing their job and/or their reputation being smeared or because they were party to the corruption and getting some kickback through the scheme.  

You knew in time this would cause the bank to collapse. Not only were you concerned about the depositors, but also the shareholders. And you did not want to be a party to any of this if the bank went under. But to come forward and expose this likely meant either your termination or being slandered, hurting your reputation and ability to get work elsewhere or worse, etc. If the corruption were great enough and the stakes high enough, there could even be a risk to you or your family's life. 

What would you do? Where would you go? You feel you must do something but do not want to put yourself or loved ones at risk or in harm's way. 

You would go to someone willing to bring forth the information to the public to see the evidence for themselves, without revealing you as the source. That is precisely what WikiLeaks offered. This was similar to what ¹Snowden did as well. 

How does Wikileaks get its information? From leakers... whistleblowers within government or whatever operation they are a part of and bringing proof of corruption to Wikileaks. Nothing more and nothing less.

Why do the leakers come to Wikileaks? Because Wikileaks has an impeccable track record of not divulging its sources since its inception in 2006. If they ever did, the leakers would stop bringing them information. Reason? If they were exposed, the information they brought forth could result in their losing their jobs, or possibly far worse. Just like any reporting outlet, Wikileaks never divulge their sources who seek anonymity for their protection.

Nor have they ever published anything that has proven to be anything other than what it is, direct words ("unintended confessions") from the sources themselves. In this situation, ALL the information is correspondence by or between the perpetrators themselves or documents produced by them of their nefarious actions. No commentary, no editing, just pure proof of corruption from the source themself.

WikiLeaks also does considerable research to confirm the veracity of the information given to them, otherwise, they don't report it. This is also part of why they have an impeccable reputation for accuracy. Nothing they have brought forth to date has proven to be inaccurate in substance or regarding the parties involved. Not even by the guilty parties themselves. In fact, from what I understand, there hasn't even been an attempt to refute the information brought forth (only attempts to smear the reputation of the leakers or Wikileaks. That's what liars do). The parties know it would be pointless because the documents/reports are rock solid, 100% accurate. So instead they attack and disparage WikiLeaks as a diversion away from the facts that they report. The classic ad hominem attack.

If you were the party being exposed, what would your attitude be towards the reporter (in this case WikiLeaks). You would despise them, would you not? After all, they have been party to exposing your criminal activity. 

For those who care to know Assange, the chief editor is what we would call liberal politically. For those who wonder why so many "hits" have been on liberal politicians more than conservative, it is simply because those are the leaks being brought to them i.e. apparently the corruption is more common among the left or at least the reports are more frequent. 

Remember, WikiLeaks is not the source of the leaks, only the distributor of them. If they get any proof of corruption, regardless of the source or their political affiliation, they pass it along. WikiLeaks simply reports and exposes the corruption being brought to them. Nothing more and nothing less. It does not target particular political agendas or parties. 10 years ago, WikiLeaks became famous for exposing elements of the Bush administration and the Iraq wars and quickly became heroes to the left at the time. As time went on the left increasingly despised them.

https://wikileaks.org/nsa-201602/ 

For the top 100 leaks posted through WikiLeaks prior to these most recent ones regarding Vault 7 click here. 

Here's is the latest report as of this post from Assange himself. 

For some comments on what is going on, here is what I believe is a spot-on assessment by Monica Crowely, who herself was a victim for coming forth with the truth. 

For a discussion on corruption within media click here.

For a discussion of a Christian's role toward government click here

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¹This article was originally written March 2017, shortly after the 2016 election.

*Now that Assange and Snowden are out of the picture Project Veritas took up the mantle of exposing corruption through investigative reporting. They were so effective that criminal elements infiltrated the board, went after James O'Keefe the founder and had him fired. As a result O'Keefe started O'Keefe Media Group (OMG) to resume his investigative reporting.

I could never obey the law

To be consumed with the impossibility of obeying God's commands is wrong thinking. This is our clue that we do not understand its true purpose. This wrongfully thinks we must obey it or else... 

Obedience to God, however, is no longer a requirement, it's what we aspire to. Christ satisfied the necessity of perfectly obeying the law by obeying it for us, and taking on the ultimate consequences of our not obeying it; judgment and death. Now we can approach the law as it was truly and originally intended; as God's loving guidance (without having to look over our shoulder in fear of condemnation and dread of rejection when we blow it) so we might fully experience and take part in God's perfect design for us and honor him most. 

When we understand God gives us direction for our own good and his glory, this is something we should delight in and be eager to follow, not dread. Christ took the dread (condemnation) out of the law. There is nothing to dread any longer. Christ fully met and satisfied the demands of the law (we could not obey it perfectly anyway) and bore the full consequences of us not doing so. As Christ cried out on the cross,  "It is finished!" Now we are freed from the demands of the law in order to make us righteous because Christ fulfilled those demands for us.

How to properly view the law

If someone told you of a pot of gold and that it was yours to keep if found, would you be excited? What if you had no idea where this gold was? All you know is it is in a direction full of dangers and death if you make the wrong move. Would you be a little concerned or discouraged? 

Now, what if this same person offered you a detailed map of how to find it? The map also gave you warnings of all the various hazards along the way: what and where they were, how to avoid them, or what to do if you couldn't. And also directions of where to find food, water, shelter (and medicine if needed) so you could be refreshed (or healed) on your journey. Would that encourage you? Would you be more hopeful and excited or would you ignore the offer of this map? And if you accepted the map, would you put it in your backpack and ignore it as you launched out in your search for the gold? To ignore it would cause significant delay at a minimum or you never finding the treasure and even possible loss of life. 

When we understand the true intent of the law now that we are in Christ - not as a requirement or demand to fulfill but as instructions and directions on how to succeed and flourish - the law will become our delight. We will gladly embrace and pursue it, for in doing so, we are perusing God himself by means of his wise and loving directions. 

This is the essence of the instructions we find in all of Psalm 119.

1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

When we fully understand and receive his love we will trust and gladly follow his directions. And we do so because we now trust the one who gives them. He's earned our trust by proving His love for us and His desire for our highest good. We will no longer see his directions/commands as a burden but as a help. 

For additional discussions on the role of God's law for the believer click here. 

Pursuing good things or the best thing

As his children, God does not condemn us for our choices. He allows us to pursue ¹good things so we might come to see the importance and value of choosing the best thing i.e. that which draws us closer to God and not away from him. 

And when we do, this is a choice we make freely. It is a choice based on our love for God and value of him versus love or value for something else. It is not a choice we make in order to gain his love but because we already have it in Christ and desire to enter into and participate more fully in it, above all other loves.

Though there are always consequences for not pursuing the best things, those consequences are not necessarily or only the loss of material things or comfortable circumstances but can simply be the loss of communion and fellowship with the Father and his Son in the Spirit.

The stronger our relationship with God, the more we feel that loss (the estrangement) and the more impacting it is.

As we mature and our taste and experience of God, in all his infinite love, grows, the loss of fellowship with him becomes an increasingly greater and more significant loss than the loss of material blessings or comfortable circumstances. We begin to care more about losing communion with God then the loss of other things. The loss of comfortable circumstances becomes increasingly less of a concern. 

There are many things that are good and to be enjoyed. But when we pick good things over the best thing, we are missing out on the greatest joys and benefits of who God is and who he made us to be. 

1Th 5:19  Do not quench the Spirit.

Eph 4:30a  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God...

Psa 51:11-12  Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

¹and even bad things. Think of Joseph arrogantly flaunting his dream before his brothers. Or his dad sinfully favoring Joseph over his brothers. God incorporates bad choices (ours and others) to bring about his good ends. This is part of the "all things" spoken of in Romans 8:28-29

For more on this last point regarding Rom 8:28-29 click here.

For a discussion on God still being in control when evil happens click here. 

what is our work

As God's children, we are to work but not in the way we commonly think. By work we normally think of doing/acting/working to gain some ¹direct or immediate benefit for ourselves. Whatever that gain is, be it money, fame, importance, safety, security etc, we seek to be affirmed as significant/valuable and/or to ²secure our safety. But in fact, our work should be to honor (value) God and bless (value) others instead. 

When we peel back the layers, our need for a sense of positive identity/value and/or safety is what ultimately drives most if not all behavior e.g. pursuit of money, fame, importance, safety, security etc. i.e. the goal of our actions is to bolster ourselves instead of honoring God and loving our neighbor. 

However, as believers, our work is the work of being (who we already are), not doing. I doesn't mean we do nothing, it means our work should come out of being i.e. All good and right doing springs out of (is the fruit of) right being first. 

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.

We do/act because we are already loved and watched over i.e. we don't work to gain identity/value/ love or protection, we work because we already have it.

And who or what is it exactly that we are and what is it that we already have? 

We are fully and infinitely loved, cherished, and cared for in Christ. "Being" (abiding) is to remain in (not move from or off of) this posture i.e. we are called to fix/set our heart and mind on who we are (beloved) in him and not move/budge from (doubt/question) this. What we have is God's infinite love in and through Christ. There is nothing we can do to make that more than it already is. 

We are to always recognize (believe) we are loved and never stop believing this regardless of whatever else is happening. This is what the bible means by ³abiding in Christ. Our status (state of being) is one of being perfectly loved, cared for and embraced by God at all times in all things because of all Christ did on our behalf. Rom 8:35-39

John 15:9  As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 


What kind of love are we loved with

Christ is saying the very same love (i.e. an infinite and bottomless love) that the Father has for him is the same exact love Christ has for us. And what is the nature of the love of the Father for the Son? It is infinite and total. 

Our "work" is to believe this reality is true of us as well, then act accordingly, even if and when we don't feel it is. 

"Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28  Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29  Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” - Jesus - Joh 6:27-29   

And it is indeed hard work, for often our circumstances make it hard for us to believe God is for us, still with us, has not abandoned us, is caring for us, watching over us and fully embracing us when circumstances are challenging and we don't feel his presence or see what we might think is evidence of his hand in our lives. 

This was true at different times for Christ as well. 


God's love takes care of both our inner and our outer mess. 

No destructive attitude or disposition by us (inner mess)

AND

No difficulty or circumstance to us (outer mess)

will ever separate God's love from us.

When we rest (abide/stay/stand) fully in who we are as God's beloved child, then we will do what we are designed to do i.e. legitimate doing comes out of being first.

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.

For a further discussion on being/abiding click here. 

For a discussion on the fight of faith click here. 
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¹It is not that direct benefits/fruit/results do not come from our efforts. They certainly do. It is that these come when sought for the glory of God i.e. to bring honor/attention/ praise to himself and not to us. 

For a further discussion this click here. 

²because we are broken we use God's good gifts for the wrong end i.e. to bolster our poor sense of value.  Matt 6:25-33 

³abide - μένω - menō

Thayer Definition:

1) to remain, abide

1a) in reference to place

1a1) to sojourn, tarry

1a2) not to depart

1a2a) to continue to be present

1a2b) to be held, kept, continually

1b) in reference to time

1b1) to continue to be, not to perish, to last, endure

1b1a) of persons, to survive, live

1c) in reference to state or condition

1c1) to remain as one, not to become another or different

2) to wait for, await one