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Monday, April 20, 2015

The Antithesis of Sodom and Our Misguided Judgment; Culture and Righteousness in the Kingdom; Reconciliation

Shangri-La or Shambhala is a fabled earthly paradise where people live a beautiful, harmonious existence nearly to immortality. It is the place our dreams take us. The fairy tale idea of Shangri-La, a lush earthly paradise where people live long pleasant lives, is the concept that exists in almost all cultures. It is known as Shambhala in Buddhism, the realm of harmony between man and nature. Shambhala or Shangri-La is a deep rooted yearning which all humanity desires. Love that flows through all living beings and touches our very core is the longing of all people. This is the antithesis of Sodom. While people have wished for the opportunity to get back to the Garden of Eden, a place of pure unadulterated life without sin, our reality is a stark contrast to Shangri-La. We live in a world that is slightly less evil than Sodom but far from Paradise. Our inhabited world has been polluted by some of the Sons of God, the Angels who fell, who are different than humans. Man’s very creation in the Garden is an imprinted remnant on our DNA which drives humans to seek and search for Shambhala. Made from red earth, we feel the travailing and birth pangs of earth. When multiple breaches of sin and violations entered the earth and humanity, it corrupted Eden, the Shangri-La that had been created for us. Just as the earth spins, witchcraft spins and twists us into a dizzying melody causing us to forget our place of origin.

While in our present state of earth’s rulership by satan, we will never see a complete Shangri-La, but there are glimpses of Shangri-La that we can be a part of on earth. While we live on earth we can bring those glimpses of Shangri-La to others as well. It is called the ministry of reconciliation that brings us into harmony with our creator. Many eastern religions have tried without success to form a place on earth where people would live by certain rules and practices which was to bring about Shambhala on earth. But they have never succeeded. While their original intents were well meaning, the god of this world would never allow a Paradise on earth. And because men are fallible, all people have been left with broken dreams and hearts. Remembering Sodom’s lost example, witchcraft, which is manipulation, intimidation, domination, and regularly scheduled drug and orgy parties as well as rape, we can see how evil perpetuated itself in the region. It has now infiltrated every culture and society on the earth to a lesser degree. We know the very purpose of the tribulation period is to filter and weed out those who will stand with Jesus and those who will not. However, there is a small remedy which when applied in purity, always brings humans one step closer to Shangri-La or Shambhala. This is what should be making the church look different to the non-believer. This is what people should see when they meet us. This is what the world longs for. Let’s look at what people know to be true but cannot understand.    

Rom 8:22-23 All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. 23 These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance.  (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)
Rom 8:22-23 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. KJV

It wasn’t supposed to be this way, groaning and travailing in pain will end on the day of redemption for the redeemed. The un-saved are not redeemed and they have no hope of redemption. But Yahweh thought of all of us, all of humanity, before the foundations of the earth and we were the focus of His love. Every single one of us. Redemption is not just for a special group it is for everyone.

Eph 1:4-6 Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. 5 Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) 6 He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.  (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Long before the foundations of the earth were formed, humanity was the focus of Yahweh’s love. We have a hard time understanding love as we humans usually have to know someone, how they behave, and if they match up to our expectations before we love them. But Yahweh loved us before we were even born. No matter if we were born rich or poor, or whether we grew up to be nice or mean, Yahweh loves us. Loves brings a harmony into our lives that connects us with our Creator, the Holy Spirit, and each other. That seems simple enough. Yahweh loved us, me, my friends, my family, and people that I know and like. But does Yahweh love people that don’t believe like I do or act like me? Does Yahweh love people with different opinions and lifestyles than me? Isn’t this what separates all Christians? Baptists from Pentecostals, Catholics from Evangelicals; we are all the Body of Christ and yet we are all fractured and splintered.

We have allowed the devil to break us up and break us down, and to twist us into many small units rather than one body of love. We have to come to some foundational understandings in order for us to unify ourselves and see those glimpses of Shangri-La on earth. We should be showing the way to Paradise and Heaven to everyone who is un-redeemed. We should be bringing the knowledge of the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God to the world. We have the words of reconciliation, that very harmony with Yahweh to share with everyone. Jesus came for sinners, not for the righteous or those who were able to keep the required works of right living. Today, no one can keep the required works of right living because there is no temple. Everyone needs Jesus to redeem them.

Matt 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous [1342], but sinners to repentance. KJV

Luke 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just [1342] persons, which need no repentance. KJV

NT:1342  dikaios (dik'-ah-yos); from NT:1349; equitable (in character or act); by implication, innocent, holy (absolutely or relatively):KJV - just, meet, right (-eous).(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:1349  dike (dee'-kay); probably from NT:1166; right (as self-evident), i.e. justice (the principle, a decision, or its execution):KJV - judgment, punish, vengeance.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

Jesus came to make sinners righteous, we can all agree on this point. Therefore, if Jesus came to make us righteous and we believe he is the Messiah, we are made righteous. The words used here are innocent, holy, and just.

Rom 5:6-8 While we were yet in weakness [powerless to help ourselves], at the fitting time Christ died for (in behalf of) the ungodly. 7 Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to give his life even for an upright [1342] man, though perhaps for a noble and lovable and generous benefactor someone might even dare to die. 8 But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us. AMP

God proved His love for us. When we believe on Jesus we are now brought into right relationship with God. This is why we are saved from the wrath to come, the wrath of the Lamb and the wrath of God during the tribulation. We are saved because we are made righteous.

Rom 5:9 Therefore, since we are now justified [1344] (acquitted, made righteous, and brought into right relationship with God) by Christ's blood, how much more [certain is it that] we shall be saved by Him from the indignation and wrath of God. AMP

NT:1344 dikaioo (dik-ah-yo'-o); from NT:1342; to render (i.e. show or regard as) just or innocent: KJV - free, justify (-ier), be righteous.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

We were reconciled because of Jesus, daily delivered from sins’ dominion. We don’t have to live like Sodom, we don’t have to live in Sodom either. We can live a new way, the way of those made righteous, as reconciled to the Father through the blood of Jesus.

Rom 5:10-12 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin's dominion) through His [resurrection] life. 11 Not only so, but we also rejoice and exultingly glory in God [in His love and perfection] through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received and enjoy [our] reconciliation. [Jer 9:24.] 12 Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as the result of sin, so death spread to all men, [no one being able to stop it or to escape its power] because all men sinned.  AMP

But sin wasn’t in the original plan, when the foundation was laid the plan was to live in Eden, in celebration of His love, in fellowship and communion with the Elohim. Sin came into the world. Then the fallen angels exacerbated the situation by perpetuating witchcraft behaviors among men. The earth became a mess. But we have exoneration from the sin we were born into.

Rom 5:18-19 Well then, as one man's trespass [one man's false step and falling away led] to condemnation for all men, so one Man's act of righteousness [leads] to acquittal and right standing with God and life for all men. 19 For just as by one man's disobedience (failing to hear, heedlessness, and carelessness) the many were constituted sinners, so by one Man's obedience the many will be constituted righteous [1342] (made acceptable to God, brought into right standing with Him).

Jesus brought us into right standing, no matter our heritage, no matter our nationality, no matter our past, Jesus changed the dynamic of death for all who believe on Him. When the law came, sin increased. Yet that made grace abound more. 

Rom 5:20 But then Law came in, [only] to expand and increase the trespass [making it more apparent and exciting opposition]. But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God's unmerited favor) has surpassed it and increased the more and superabounded, 21 So that, [just] as sin has reigned in death, [so] grace (His unearned and undeserved favor) might reign also through righteousness (right standing with God) which issues in eternal life through Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) our Lord. AMP

Now all who believe on Jesus are in right standing with Yahweh. That is the importance of the administration/dispensation/time period we live in. Before Jesus came we were not made righteous by his sacrifice, obviously. We could only be righteous by our behavior. Yet Jesus said he didn’t come for the righteous, he came for the unrighteous. Here is the critical question we have to think through. Once we are made righteous can we become unrighteous?

Be careful how you answer that. The unrighteous do not inherit the kingdom of God. That would mean anyone who lies or commits adultery is in jeopardy of not entering the kingdom of God. Unless, when Paul speaks of the unrighteous he is speaking of those who do not believe Jesus is the Messiah. (1 Corinthians 6:9, 1Timothy 1:9; we will read these a bit later) Ah, now we are getting somewhere. We cannot be in right standing and wrong standing at the same time. This is one place the Body of Christ fractures. The Law was about behaving rightly to become righteous, but Jesus’ blood makes us righteous once and for all; for all who believe. It is not by works but by grace. Isn’t that exactly what Paul just said? The Law was about works and it made more sin, but since Jesus’ death there are no longer any works for righteousness. Therefore, when Paul talks about the unrighteous he is speaking about those who do not believe on Jesus as Messiah.

Now think this through. How many Pastors have committed adultery and also lied about it. Are we to believe that they are no longer going to be reconciled? Can they become un-reconciled? Why then do we restore fallen Pastors to Pastoral positions if they are booted out of the redeemed group? What if a young adult lies? Are they going to be disqualified from the kingdom of God for their lie? We have to understand that we humans are not put in charge of the doorway into the kingdom of God or the kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, it is not up to man to decide for all humanity who is allowed into the kingdoms, it is up to Jesus. And Paul is writing regarding the un-redeemed, not the redeemed. Redemption is not un-doable. It is not based on our lifestyles or behaviors, it is based on Jesus’ blood. Rewards for the kingdoms are based on our behavior.

Some things we have regarded as unrighteous behavior, Yahweh does not have an opinion about. Most of these things are cultural or societal in nature. There were many people in the Old Testement times who had multiple wives, many also had servants that bore them children. Many people of the Old Testament times owned slaves. Some visited prostitutes. Joseph’s brothers thought they would find him as a prostitute at the city walls as he was a good looking young man. As we know, there were many crazy behaviors in the temple for over 300 years, like male and female prostitution; and again Yahweh did not harm anyone. Hair, head coverings, beards, and women teaching the Bible are all issues that are cultural. We have to keep in mind that women were not allowed in the temple, only the court of women. Therefore women were not necessarily privy to Biblical teaching. Women could observe ceremonies from a distance but never participate in them. Women were of a low class as taught by the Rabbi’s and were not to be greeted and were required to walk six paces behind a man. Also if her head was uncovered she was considered a harlot. The Body of Christ invites all people into the Holy of Holies. Jesus told us that harlots and tax collectors would enter the kingdom of God ahead of the chief priests and elders. That means many women enter the kingdom ahead of the chief priests and elders. Think about this, for a woman to be caught in adultery she would have had to have a man committing adultery with her, yet culturally it was acceptable for the man to visit a prostitute but not acceptable to be a prostitute. What? In the temple, booths were set up for the male and female prostitutes from the time of the kingdom split to the time of Ezekiel. I don’t think we can say that only the female prostitutes were bad and the male prostitutes were acceptable. I don’t think we can say the visitors to the male and female prostitutes in the temple were acceptable either.      

We have another aspect to consider in regards to bringing us closer to Shangri-La, the opposite of Sodom. The Holy Spirit came into the earth to convict the world of sin. That means it is the Holy Spirit’s job to lead the world and truly we are a better world than we used to be. I know some would disagree, but think this through. Humans have always violated the rights of other humans, however today many oppose those violations and attempt to stop others from committing the witchcraft type sins of Sodom. With media support people’s violations are known worldwide and many times actions are taken to stop those violations.

Now what if the church actually did what Jesus said. That would turn Christianity from being a petty judgmental group of haters, to lovers. Would unsaved people catch a glimpse of Shangri-La if the Body of Christ did what Jesus suggested? Jesus advised a few things we should consider. Let’s read it in the Message.   

Matt 5:13-16 "Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
14 "Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. 15 If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. 16 Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand — shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.  (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

God is not a secret to be kept, but it seems the Body of Christ does exactly that. By making rules and rituals so complex, one cannot even find God in the church. Have you ever heard stories of people in closed countries being visited by Jesus? What then will those people find if they were to enter a church today? Sad. We are saved if we believe on Jesus, then the church brings in the “but”. Stop the “but”, there is no “but” to salvation and entrance into the kingdom, no matter what your grandmother, your best friend, or minister told you. Live generously. Wow, if the Body of Christ did that it would be amazing. Jesus goes on.

Matt 5:38-42 "Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' 39 Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. 40 If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. 41 And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. 42 No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

For goodness sake, bake the cake and make it the best cake you ever baked. Make the pizza and throw in a side of breadsticks. Shame on us for being so petty. Personally, I have a problem with liars and if I had a business that discriminated against liars I’d be out of business very quickly. Look, someone told us a lie. Marriage is not for the unbeliever it is only for the believer, so if one wishes to discriminate that is where the discrimination should be; between believers in Christ and non-believers in Christ. How many ministers and pastors have held marriage ceremonies officiating the union of two people who were not believers in Jesus as Messiah? How many un-saved people are married and accepted by the church and by the law when marriage was only consecrated for the saved. Boy, we sure have missed this one by a mile. Let’s let Jesus continue.

Matt 5:43 "You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' 44 I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, 45 for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best — the sun to warm and the rain to nourish — to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. 46 If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. 47 If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

Do you expect a medal for not making a cake or a pizza for someone you judge to be unacceptable, but instead you serve the lying adulterous Pastor? How will anyone come to know the goodness of Yahweh when we behave like this? Now Jesus finishes with a great point.

Matt 5:48 "In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Grow up, because we are kingdom subjects. Even before his death he was telling those who believed on Him to behave like heirs of the kingdom. Now we can live out our God-created identity. This realization as to who we are brings us closer to Shangri-La. This is why Paul says that by and through Jesus we are in right standing, reconciled to him. Not only that, Paul tells us that we have the ministry of reconciliation, that by our words and deeds we can bring others into harmony with Him.

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 18 But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him].

Harmony, isn’t that what we are looking for, harmony with the Creator and His creation? Paul goes on.

2 Cor 5:19 It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor). 20 So we are Christ's ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ's personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]. AMP

If we are reconciled, we now have the pleasure of reconciling others to Yahweh. We have divine favor to do it as well. We should be examples of righteousness, but we seem to fall into Sodoms’ witchcraft type of thinking. There is so much manipulation in the church, the church needs an exorcism. Yes, I understand we individuals are the church, the called out; we gather as a group in a building and that is where it all goes awry.  We want to live in Shangri-La but we cannot even live in harmony with each other. We are longing for Christ’s return to make the change rather than change ourselves to be the bearers of reconciliation to the unsaved. Once people are reconciled they cannot be unreconciled. Again, why do we accept liars and adulterers and cast out others? Paul wasn’t speaking about the reconciled, righteous believer, he was speaking about the unrighteous who are not inheriting the kingdom. 

1 Cor 6:5-11 I say this as bluntly as I can to wake you up to the stupidity of what you're doing. Is it possible that there isn't one levelheaded person among you who can make fair decisions when disagreements and disputes come up? I don't believe it. 6 And here you are taking each other to court before people who don't even believe in God! How can they render justice if they don't believe in the God of justice?
7 These court cases are an ugly blot on your community. Wouldn't it be far better to just take it, to let yourselves be wronged and forget it? 8 All you're doing is providing fuel for more wrong, more injustice, bringing more hurt to the people of your own spiritual family.
9 Don't you realize that this is not the way to live? Unjust people who don't care about God will not be joining in his kingdom. Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex, 10 use and abuse the earth and everything in it, don't qualify as citizens in God's kingdom. 11 A number of you know from experience what I'm talking about, for not so long ago you were on that list. Since then, you've been cleaned up and given a fresh start by Jesus, our Master, our Messiah, and by our God present in us, the Spirit.  (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Unjust people who don’t care about God will not be joining His kingdom, but Paul says that the Corinthian Church has been given a fresh start. Why? Because they came to receive Jesus as their Lord. Even if we disregard what Jesus says in Matthew 5 about giftwrapping our coat and making a gift of it if someone sues us for our shirt, we cannot mistake Paul’s words. We Christians seem to provide plenty of fuel for more wrong, injustice, and hurt to the Body of Christ. Paul says he is urging us to LOVE.

1 Tim 1:5-11 The whole point of what we're urging is simply love — love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. 6 Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into cul-de-sacs of gossip. 7 They set themselves up as experts on religious issues, but haven't the remotest idea of what they're holding forth with such imposing eloquence.
8 It's true that moral guidance and counsel need to be given, but the way you say it and to whom you say it are as important as what you say. 9 It's obvious, isn't it, that the law code isn't primarily for people who live responsibly, but for the irresponsible, who defy all authority, riding roughshod over God, life, 10 sex, truth, whatever! 11 They are contemptuous of this great Message I've been put in charge of by this great God. (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Love that is uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith is how we should behave. Those who don’t do this set themselves up as experts on religious issues but are misguided and bringing hurt to the Body of Christ. We Christians have a little trouble reading things in context. Instead we pick and choose words out of context to manipulate others. Always read the Bible in context and do not distort the words the Holy Spirit had written to us. We may need to dig into the definitions of words to get to the original meaning, therefore don’t exclusively rely on the King James English or the Latin. Go back to the Greek and Aramaic for better understanding. We have all the free tools we could ever want, but we really are the Laodicean fat and happy church. Let’s make an effort to put the salve on our eyes so we can share this reconciliation that brings harmony with the Creator with others. We cannot bring the words of reconciliation if we distort the very words the Holy Spirit had scribed for us.

Here are some words of Paul’s that will help us behave rightly towards others.

Col 3:12-17 Clothe yourselves therefore, as God's own chosen ones (His own picked representatives), [who are] purified and holy and well-beloved [by God Himself, by putting on behavior marked by] tenderhearted pity and mercy, kind feeling, a lowly opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, [and] patience [which is tireless and long-suffering, and has the power to endure whatever comes, with good temper]. 13 Be gentle and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord has [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive]. 14 And above all these [put on] love and enfold yourselves with the bond of perfectness [which binds everything together completely in ideal harmony]. 15 And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ's] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always]. 16 Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in your hearts and minds] and dwell in you in [all its] richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him. AMP


What if we really lived like that? Wouldn’t we be better connected to Yahweh ourselves? Then we really could share the ministry of reconciliation with others. This harmonious life would look and feel like Shangri-La or Shambhala rather than Sodom. While life will not be perfect as the devil is still the prince of the power of the air and he still has children of disobedience, we could probably convert them as they too long for Shangri-La. This is our misguided understanding of righteousness. We are righteous and kingdom bound, therefore treat others well. Love those who mistreat us as well as those who live differently than we do. Love the people who think differently and give them the glimpse of Shangri-La they long for. We should look different than the world. We need to honestly assess whether we exemplify the behaviors Jesus suggested or not. Because if we do not, we cannot give the world what they long for.