Reflecting Pure Love

"The prostitutes and tax collectors were attracted to Jesus because in him they recognized the truth about themselves, they saw the Life of their original design being mirrored in him and made them realize that the life they lived before was a lie!"


"The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not." John 1:5.
Note that John says that Light and dark co-exist, but dark has not comprehended/recognised it. When they do, they will see that they are fill of light!! (Eph 5:8...ect)


" Jesus (the light of the world -John 8:12) came to his own (those made in his image and likeness - Gen 1:26), but His own did not recognise Him (John1:11).... because they had become DARKENED IN THEIR THINKING due to ignorance (Eph 4:18). They had become enemies towards God IN THEIR OWN IMAGINATIONS (Col 1:21)


The Gospel declares to mankind the Good News of their True identity. The Gospel is the Mirror that reflects back to man his true image and likeness, the image of Jesus is what he sees.(2 Cor 3:18) 
In the Gospel mirror He sees Himself -  one who is Fully God and Fully man in perfect inseparable union - Eph 5:31-32, 
He sees one who is Fully God and Fully man, being filled with all of the fullness of God (Col 2:9, Col 1:27, 2Cor 4:7, 1 John 4:13, 1 John 4:17......)


The Mirror (the Gospel) is a constant reminder to us of our true identities - in his perfect image and likeness -  so that we may become mature, and reflect or true identity -the full measure of stature of the fulness of the Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (Eph 4:13)
Then we wont be like those who look intently into the mirror and walk away and then immediately forget who they are.(James 1:24). 


The Gospel shows us Gods original and unchanged opinion of us, his beloved, and His Love induces a Persuasion and Trust in us to walk with Him, away from our previously blinding and misguided perceptions of Him and to BE what we have been, but neither perceived nor recognized, all along.... The objects of the most insane Love the cosmos has ever know!!



Such Good News!!!
Love

Light on a Hill

If all are included in the Gospel, then what about 2 Corinthians 6 where Paul says not to be "unequally yoked", he also called them (unbelievers) darkness, temples of idols, unrighteousness......

I see Paul giving them some good advice. A few times in Corinthians Paul calls them infants in the Gospel, He also says that he is talking to them as a Father would talk with love to his own children. Paul doesn't want these beloved children to become wrongly infuenced and go back to wrong thinking.
He earlier (ch 3) reminds them to see Jesus as they themselves look in a mirror - reminding them of who they are -. They needed reminding because they were still immature in their revelation of the Good News and the seed was still in danger of being stolen from of the surface. -Remember in Mathew, and the parable of the sower, Jesus says that the soil is our understanding (revelation), and if the truth doesn't go into our understanding (and out of sight from the bird that wants to steal it), then it is vulnerable.

James tells us that the Immature (those with little understanding) are those who look at themselves in a mirror and walk away and forget what they look like. They are the ones who are tossed about by every wind and change of doctrine...

So, Paul revealed to them their identity (as Jesus is, so are they in this world), but they were forgetting because of outside influences that were undermining the Truth. As a loving Father to his Kids, Paul tells these CORINTHIANS to avoid keeping that kind of company with them.

Paul, in other letters encourages believers to make the most of every interaction with those who do not yet believe (and even Paul himself lived to this cause: To testify about the Gospel of Gods Grace to mankind - Act 20:24). The reason was so that they (unbelievers) would hear and believe that they are INCLUDED, they are RECONCILED and NOT separated - because of that one man Jesus Christ through whom God reconciled the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them.

Darkness is only darkness because it has not YET perceived/comprehended that Light shines IN and THROUGH it:(the power of darkness is deception... it hides/covers truth)

Joh 1:3  Every thing was by his hand; and without him, was not any thing whatever that existed. 
Joh 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of man. 
Joh 1:5  And this Light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended/comprehended/perceived it not. 

Eph 5:8 ....For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light.

(when were we placed IN the Lord? When the Lord was placed in us.... when the Word became Flesh. He died humanities death because of His union with Humanity in and through His incarnation)..... "He came unto His own, but they did not recognise Him"... "the Light shone In the Darkness, but the darkness did not recognise it"

We are in His image and likeness..... and He is Light. If we dont comprehend this, we will act like darkness. But just because I act like something, it doesnt mean I am that thing - right?
Paul makes it clear through his Gospel these people (darkness, temples of idols, unrighteousness) are blind to the accomplished reality. 2 Cor 4:4 - they have blinded minds and have not yet seen the light of the gospel. Col 1:21-They are enemies towards God in their own minds/imaginations and it shows in their actions. They act like Darkness and behave unrighteously because they are still in the dark about who they really are.The power of darkness is deception.  The reality, however, is that  He has delivered us (ALL) from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son (Col 1:13), and has reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross (Col 1:20)

Paul says, "hey guys, dont you know that bad company corrupts good character. Stop hanging around people that will influence you and make you think you are still in the Dark" - and then He reminds them to behold Christ as in a mirror.

When we see who we are - sons and daughters in the Kingdom, then we will naturally influence those around us, and not the other way around.

Feel His Loving Embrace as He shares in your Humanity - never to leave, never to separate!

Love.

Christ is ALL in ALL

All are included!! The Good News shouts out that All are already reconciled to the Father, there is no "IN" or "OUT" but there is Christ who is IN ALL and through ALL.


Col 1:17  He existed before everything and holds everything together. 
Col 1:20  God was also pleased to bring everything on earth and in heaven back to himself through Christ. He did this by making peace through Christ's blood sacrificed on the cross. 


Now, is separation from God a literal reality or are we separated from God in our own imaginations??


Col 1:21  And also to you, who were before alienated and enemies in your minds (Greek: Imaginations), because of your evil deeds, 


Father does not want us to have a "You're out and We're in" mind-set. There is no separation. All things are held together by Him.
He even already exists in the hearts of those who haven't "invited Him to live in their hearts". 


Its a matter of seeing your union with Him and participating in it with Him, OR being blind to it and not participating with Him in it. The Gospel reveals the already existing Light of God in the heart of man so we can share in His Joy.


Joh 1:3  Every thing was by his hand; and without him, was not any thing whatever that existed. 
Joh 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of man. 
Joh 1:5  And this light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended/comprehended/perceived it not. 


Those in darkness have not yet comprehended that the Light is already shining IN them. They are separated from God in their own minds/imaginations.
The Light shines IN the Darkness, Christ in IN all things... There is NO Separation from God, nor is it possible for there ever to be unless God stops being God - in which case He was not God in the first place.


Our message to the world is one of condition-less reconciliation (2 Cor 5.)  any view of God that involves any kind of separation based on ones own actions or lack thereof is Sorely incorrect and denies the very nature of God who, although we may lack trust, He remains trustworthy for He cannot deny Himself.


Feel His endless embrace.
Love