The two have become ONE - God and man, in inseparable union!! In Eph 5 Paul goes to great lengths to illustrate that our relationship with God is the same as the love displayed in a good earthly marriage.
He is not so much talking about "rules for married couples" to stick to, but He is telling us Gods heart of love towards us!! - (If we miss this, we will very quickly get into religious rules and regulations regarding marriage... and miss Paul's whole point!!) He is saying... "This is what God is like!!! The two become one flesh (Yes, God became FLESH :), this mystery is very great, but I am speaking concerning the revelation of Christ and the Church" Eph 5:32
Your value is therefore not based on your outward appearance/behavior, but rather your value is based on the treasure inside you!! Christ IN you!!
The measure of your true value cannot be calculated according to your "harvest" because that may be seasonal. It is calculated according to what's buried beneath the harvest.... Gold!!!! (Mat 13:44)
"A man found a great treasure buried in an agricultural field.... He sold all he had to buy that field..." You and I are that field - made from the soil of earth, and full of value to God!!
Gaining a "seasonal due" of a crop was NOT this man's intention in buying this field.... The true value of the field had NOTHING to do with sowing and reaping to gain a harvest, but rather the Treasure that was already in it was of great value to this man!!
Gaining a "seasonal due" of a crop was NOT this man's intention in buying this field.... The true value of the field had NOTHING to do with sowing and reaping to gain a harvest, but rather the Treasure that was already in it was of great value to this man!!
We have this treasure inside us!!! He gave it all to redeem our great value, made in His very own image and likeness. He saw the Good in mankind that we had long forgotten about. We were only concerned with toiling to produce a pleasing harvest, but all the while we forgot our inherent value. When God made creation he looked at it and said "It is good", but after he made man from the soil of the earth He said, "They are VERY good". We carry great value, being bearers of His very image and likeness. But, the Fall caused us to disbelieve our value and communion with God. We began to feel SHAME and SEPARATION.... as though we had somehow become UNWORTHY to have communion with our Lover, our Maker. WE believed this lie and hid ourselves in our false Shame from God, whilst in the mean time God was still super keen to walk with us. We forgot our value through the deception of the devil.
BUT......
The kindest, most Loving and gracious God knew our ignorance and decides to sell all he had to prove to us our value. He buys the field (this section of scripture clearly states that the Field IS THE WORLD/"mankind" Mat 13:38).... He shows the world the value He sees with in us by giving us His life as a gift. (Without His life in us, we could never comprehend of perceive the great treasure in us.
Jesus said, " I have much to say to you, but you are a bit dim and cant understand...... BUT, when I go, I will send the Comforter (Holy Spirit/Spirit of Jesus) and He will make these things... this mystery, plain to you. In Acts 2 when this happened, Peter stands up and says that this was the fulfillment of what the prophet Joel spoke of when He said "I will pour my spirit out on ALL Flesh")
God is not waiting for us to make a decision for Him before He puts value (treasure) in us. We didn't choose him... He chose us... before the foundation of the world!! God does not expect man to bear a harvest of "repentance" BEFORE He will find value in us!! He sees the gold in us long before we did.... long before we believed, that treasure has always been there. When we see that He gave everything for us, it helps us see why!!! That we are of great value to him!!!We are VERY acceptable and pleasing to Him. We are NOT "unworthy" or Separated from Him.(Just as in the parable of the Father and his two sons, the Father gives the Fatted Calf to his son to prove His Value and acceptance and love for Him, even while the son still thought he was not worthy to be called his son anymore.)
Religion would have you work for a harvest (of which Jesus said is already ready), but the Gospel says, let that which is in you (Him) simply flow out.
Jesus, "all who believe in him as the scriptures declare will have rivers of life flowing out of them"
He is our treasure, and we are His.
The kindest, most Loving and gracious God knew our ignorance and decides to sell all he had to prove to us our value. He buys the field (this section of scripture clearly states that the Field IS THE WORLD/"mankind" Mat 13:38).... He shows the world the value He sees with in us by giving us His life as a gift. (Without His life in us, we could never comprehend of perceive the great treasure in us.
Jesus said, " I have much to say to you, but you are a bit dim and cant understand...... BUT, when I go, I will send the Comforter (Holy Spirit/Spirit of Jesus) and He will make these things... this mystery, plain to you. In Acts 2 when this happened, Peter stands up and says that this was the fulfillment of what the prophet Joel spoke of when He said "I will pour my spirit out on ALL Flesh")
God is not waiting for us to make a decision for Him before He puts value (treasure) in us. We didn't choose him... He chose us... before the foundation of the world!! God does not expect man to bear a harvest of "repentance" BEFORE He will find value in us!! He sees the gold in us long before we did.... long before we believed, that treasure has always been there. When we see that He gave everything for us, it helps us see why!!! That we are of great value to him!!!We are VERY acceptable and pleasing to Him. We are NOT "unworthy" or Separated from Him.(Just as in the parable of the Father and his two sons, the Father gives the Fatted Calf to his son to prove His Value and acceptance and love for Him, even while the son still thought he was not worthy to be called his son anymore.)
Religion would have you work for a harvest (of which Jesus said is already ready), but the Gospel says, let that which is in you (Him) simply flow out.
Jesus, "all who believe in him as the scriptures declare will have rivers of life flowing out of them"
He is our treasure, and we are His.
Much love
Andrew
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