Splinters

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."

(1 Jn 1:7)

Saved!

The believer in Christ is in a state, a condition, of having been saved. Saved from what? From the anger and judgement of a holy God whom we have despised, ignored, rebelled against. That was our former condition. Dead in sin and unresponsive to anything of the living God, even though the whole earth - indeed, the whole universe - shouts of His glory. Our ears are deaf to that voice and our eyes blind to His insisted goodness in all He has made. Saved how? By the self-surrender of the perfect, spotless Lamb, Jesus Christ, on a stark cross of shame. In which He took upon Himself the punishment we deserve for our cosmic treason. And by His blood we are 'ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven'. Saved for what? For living to the glory of God and for the love of our Lord. Working acts of righteousness, which He has prepared beforehand for us to walk in. Serving His saints with a glad heart. Showing to the world the abundant life that only Christ can bring.

Splinters!

But in order to remain in that state, our persistent God- neglect and failure to be what He now not only intends, but enables, we must have a continuous supply of saving power. Otherwise, every small sin will be like a splinter in God's hand, a persistent irritant which He, in His white-shining righteousness, must judge and deal with. Imagine the accumulation of every act, every thought, which falls short of His love-command to us. Each one as a splinter, demanding attention until it is removed. Each one a shadow in the light of His glorious presence.

God's 'Tweezers'!

Great grace provides great measures. This we have also, by the life-force of Christ and His cross. Every time, His presented blood at the altar in the throne-room of the Father speaks that better word, as our Saviour declares "for this, also I died". Out of His pierced heart there flow rivers of living water. And the believer walks in their flow. The shed blood of the precious Saviour washes us clean even as we walk in Him. We continue in the state of 'having been saved', not because of the achieved quality of our new lives in Him, but because of the continued, irretractable supply of His saving power. We are held, thus, in the condition His redemption has brought us into. We live in the gospel.

All of Christ, and His be the glory.

"Did God Say ...?"

"Did God say...?"

This was the beginning of the evil one's deception of Eve, and the thin edge of the devastating wedge driven between man and God. He continues to hammer it with relentless hammer-blows, seeking to drive it's division between a God of unfailing promises and His children. But thanks to the pioneer of our faith, we now have what Eve did not.

1. We have the written word of God.

In our hands and before our eyes, encrypted in the words on paper, we can return again and again to read and re-read what God has said. Won by the faithful work, sacrifice and commitment of faithful men in our past, we have a totally reliable collection of the inspired and infallible record which we can check and meditate on whenever we care or need to.

2. We have the indwelling Spirit of Christ. He has gone away so the Spirit would come. From the throne-room of God, the source of power, grace and holiness, Jesus has poured him forth for the church, his body. He lives in us, and he gives the light behind his written word, bringing his truth forth and pressing it into our hearts. The truth thus sets us free.

3. We have the fellowship of believers. We are not alone in our examining and efforts to get to grips with Scripture. We are set in local gatherings of the saints, structured in a way that his gifts may benefit and bless us. The word is preached and taught by those the Spirit enables to do those tasks. We speak also to one another, uncovering the disciplines and delights of what our Father lays out, in glorious revelation, for our spiritual food. We feed not only ourselves, but also each other.

And thus we see the strong measures the wisdom of Christ has put in place to bring us to maturity and conform us to his likeness. Let us take much advantage of these things. So, when the evil one's haunting question arises we will answer with conviction - "IT IS WRITTEN ..."