056 - Marriage - Love is action, consequence of action or the source of action?

Marriage - Love is action, consequence of action or the source of action?

WHAT IS LOVE?

Someone told me that love is action. This prompted me to write this message. After all, one thing is certain: love is not human effort, but the result of the effort of the Spirit of the Eternal One within us (Zech 4.6). 

Love is the nature of Jesus making natural in us the presence of individuals that He has placed in our lives. It is not like in virtue of convenience, but the need that both feel of experience within themselves, through the life of one another, everything that Christ is. After all, the move of Christ happens in our life in two conditions: when he wants to work within us to make known to our brother and vice-versa.

To love and to like are two different things. We like those with whom we have affinity. This is healthy. After all, we should like only of those with whom we have to be directly connected. Otherwise, we will end up linking us to someone who has nothing to do with the purpose for which we were created and leaving to fulfill our role where the Eternal One has placed us.

The problem arises when we close together with those who we like, when the correct is conserve ourselves together each other so that Jesus Christ use us to treat those with whom we have affinity and manifest His name to those who have nothing to do with Him.

In other words, love is the manifestation of the power of the Eternal One in us in order to harmonize (establish peace) with those that He gave us in order to, together, reveal the principalities and powers who is Christ (Eph 3.10).

Hence be said:

 

·        "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:" (Heb 12.14).

·        "But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." (1Cor 4.19,20). 

 

To be more accurate: love is something supernatural, divine (1 John 4.8,16). It has nothing to do with our effort in doing something for others, much less spoil them. Many marriages fall apart because of this futile effort to try to love the spouse. 

If there is no love in marriage, it is not with attitudes that the situation will resolve. Positive attitudes can lead individuals to like us, but never will make that Jesus is part of our life. There is no good attitude that begins in us and reach Jesus.

Instead of leaving as Judas trying to fix things with Jesus and with the neighbor move from remorse, seek to hear the voice of Jesus and understand what is preventing His purifying, sanctifying and unifying action in our life.

Let Jesus fix you with Him, and everything else will fit in your life (Deuteronomy 28.1,2).

The problem with the human being is wanting to strive to be what they don’t be, to feel what it isn’t to be felt, to do what isn’t to be done, etc. Remember that love may not be a theater (hypocritical), but a reality in our character and personality:

 

·        "Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good" (Rom 12.9).

 

The love it is not imitating Jesus (even because the imitation is never equal to the original), but to remain in the rest of Jesus (Psalm 37.7; Heb 4.11) so that He is in us all that He wants to reveal of Himself.

You may ask: "But, what is wrong in thinking that love implies in action?". 

THE WORK OF JESUS IS AND MUST BE COMPLETE

A sister said that we must do our part so that Jesus can make His one. And she wondered me: "Until where is my part and until where I have to let God do for me".

The work of Christ is, and always has to be complete:

 

o   "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:" (Col 1.16). I.e., everything was created by Jesus in Jesus and for Jesus.

o   "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." (Rom 11.36). Or either, everything is Jesus, there is because of Jesus and has in order to glorify Jesus.

o   "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." (Rev 22.13).

o   "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14.6). 

 

Therefore, He is the One who does everything. And Glory to Jesus for this! After all, if salvation or blessing depended just 0.1% of our goodwill, effort, courage, faith, etc., we were destined to live cursed and cursing others until suffer eternally in hell.

The only thing up to us It meditating on Holy Scripture day and night (Psalms 1.1,2), have communion with Jesus in prayer and be ready to hear His voice and let Him fulfill His will in us (Galatians 2.20).

After all, if Jesus wanted someone to work for Him, He would have created the human being in the first day. 

No! Jesus wants to manifest! He wants to do and has sought by individuals who will allow such a thing (1 Samuel 13.14; 2 Chronicles 16.9; Isaiah 64.5; Ezekiel 22.30; John 4.23). Unfortunately, we round ourselves of care and do not give space for Him to do what He has long designed for us (Psalms 139.13-16; Eph 2.10).

To ensure that there is no confusion: one thing is the kingdom of this world and the other is the realm of the Eternal One:

 

o   If what someone wants is wealth, power, honor, glory, power, gratitude, praise, etc. in this world, really they have to strive, since it is from the sweat of his face that each one without Christ will eat (and, of course, along with the blessings of this world, also comes the thorns and thistles and, finally, to eternal perdition - Genesis 2.18,19; 1Tim 6.9-12).

o   If, on the other hand, what we want is a real blessing of Eternal One (that he has prepared especially for those who love him - 1 Corinthians 2.9), and salvation, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross every day and follow Jesus (Luke 9.23), and finally, we receive in us all that he has accomplished for us on the cross (John 19.30).

 

o   "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1.21).

 

Finally, Jesus grant us the privilege to hear your voice (even if it is by means of an angel) and believe that He will do everything (Psalm 37.5; Luke 1.38) while we rest and hope in Him (Psalm 37.7).

Unfortunately we have invested enormous amounts of time trying to acquire or maintain something that we, trying to solve problems that we ourselves have created, and the worst: trying to reach a goal that we set for ourselves to find some reason to remain alive.

As it would be much easier if we simply let Jesus direct our life! We avoid as much anguish, despair, anxiety, etc., as well as the feeling of loss of time.

I came to ask Jesus what He taught us in His prayer: for He would not permit that we be guided by ourselves (or whoever) in our temptations.

ALL TRUE RELATIONSHIP HAS IN VIEW THE REVELATION OF THE LIKENESS OF THE ETERNAL ONE

In my heart came the following question: "Why do we want to be guided by Jesus? To guarantee our success and be free of any problem or to bring us closer to Him and have the pleasure of seeing His desire being satisfied?

We have many faults. And it is to be so! The Eternal One allowed sin to enter the world in order that He the gaps left in each one could serve as a place of fitting for the excesses that it awakened in the human being. It remembers the action of antibodies, which fit into the "holes" existing in the virus, and then destroy them.

Therefore, we must not allow the failures  separate us from each other. Instead, we need to understand that the perfection happens in our union with others in Christ Jesus. Nobody is perfect alone.

You may ask: "But why Jesus did not all perfect alone? When He created the angels, He did so in order to prove that, although the relationship with someone perfect is delightful to the flesh, gives no space for true unity.

What advantage there is in we getting rid of someone who is bothering us? Does this individual have nothing good that deserves to be appreciated and developed? Do we want or not to receive in ourselves the improvements that Jesus wants to operate? Or will it be that what we actually want is to have more time to go in search of unnecessary improvements?

Many times we complain when we are offended. In fact, it is something unpleasant. However, have you ever thought if a doctor would be afraid to offend somebody? He wouldn’t do any surgery because they do not want to submit the patient to any discomfort. However, this would imply a poor quality of life or even the death of the infirm.

May Jesus Christ empower us to never fear to hurt someone (see Proverbs 26.28; 28.23; 29.5) or by them being wounded (see Hebrews 12.11):

 

• "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him." (Lev 19.17).
• "Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood." (Jer 48.10).

 

We take offense to us, besides hurting inwardly and attract diseases, may cost us precious friendships, start by Jesus Himself. 

Do you ever wondered what is the quest of every human being? What each one wants is to be independent of everything and everyone, have everything under control so as to have all their wishes met. We do not want nothing to frustrate those who want to appear to be or how we think that everything must succeed. This is why many depart to false gods in moments of weakness: they want gods that are under their control and make them gods.

Hence the Eternal One so often say in His word: fear not. It is the fear that separates us from the Love (1John 4.18). That Jesus encourage us to remain free from everything that the others fear (Isaiah 8.12-14).

DIVERSITY IS A DIVINE AND HEAVENLY THING

In the house of the Eternal One, which is the heart of each one, there are many mansions (John 14.12). Although in heaven we see many united in a single expression of worship (Rev 7.9), note how everyone is still possessing his tribe, tongue, people and nation. Similarly, at best it is the communion between individuals in the Church, each one continues having his house, family, etc.

The Church does not exclude the communion that must exist between the members of the home. Rather, the Church represents the lives in the face of which each one must serve Christ with their family in favor of revealing Christ to the principalities and powers (Eph 3.10). 

It isn't so that the faithful may know Christ, because they already know (if they, in fact, are in Christ - Heb 8.8-12). Instead, the Church is:

 

·        The collectivity manifested on individuality, i.e., it is the life of every one of those who dwell in the many abodes of the Eternal One that there is in the heart of the individual being used by Jesus to do of this individual what He wants they to be in the life of every one with whom they have contact, regardless of the situation;

·        The individuality manifesting in the collectivity, that is, it is each one knowing their individuality (uniqueness) and keeping it in order to give a special touch to the body of Christ.

 

Just as there are many blood vessels linking the various cells, there are numerous loving bonds linking the individuals to each other in the hearts of those who are willing to shelter within themselves the Church of Christ (1 Peter 2.5). And the art of Christ consists in guiding us in the right track toward certain individuals in search of the correct solution.

IT IS NOT UP TO US TO JUDGE SOMEONE, NOT WANTING THEM TO CHANGE

We need to understand that only Jesus has free will, i.e., the freedom to arbitrate (judge) about circumstances and individuals aiming the true justice. After all, only He is omniscient (knows everything that is, what may or will be) and, therefore, capable of judging everything without the slightest possibility of deception. Not to mention that He, being the Almighty, is above all pressure and oppression.

Someone might ask: "But it is said that the Church will judge angels?"

 

• "Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?" (1Cor 6.3-5)

 

However, how will be this "judgment"? It is good to remember that wise, in Holy Scripture, it is they who has intimacy with Jesus and fears grieve Him (Prov 9.10). Besides:

 

• "They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.” (Prov 28.4).

 

That is, when our intimacy with Jesus fills us with love for Him to the point of fearing the possibility of saddening Him, we become instruments of judgment and condemnation to those who refuse to invest their life in favor of build bonds of spirit and truth in life from each other (John 4.23,24).

LOVE IS THE ABILITY TO FIND REST AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET REACHED A PEACE WITH CHRIST

The problem in trying to establish a relationship embodied in effort is that, when we are strong, healthy and full of cheer, it is easy to demonstrate this kind of "love" to your spouse. And when this is not true (as stated in Isaiah 64.6)? We will fall when the person fails with us (and vice versa), or we will serve to support? 

Therefore, the relationship is only stable if it is signed at rest (in what they are), into something deeper and more solid than mere attitudes of convenience.

I know that it seems absurd. As liking someone because of the their defect?

 Marriage is, first of all, ensuring safe investment. What more discouraged in a relationship is the expectation that all the effort spent will be lost.

However, the marriage is the certainty that we can invest in our entire life in the spouse that Jesus prepared, since it will certainly work out, although the setbacks come. As Jesus gave His life for His Bride so that we can invest without reservation in the life of the brothers (the certainty of that great blessings will come of this relationship), when Jesus gives us a spouse, there is nothing to fear: He always gives  His children what is best, having in view of His plan for their home. If we are not seeing this beauty, is a sign that we need the eyesalve of Jesus (Rev 3.18) to return to have good eyes (Matt 6.22,23; Luke 11.33-36), which see everything with purity (Titus 1.15).

You can be sure: when Jesus joins you to your spouse, He didn’t give you an enemy, but the right person for you to empower you to everything that pertain unto life and godliness (Gal 5.16,17; 2Pe 1.3), so that you can see the supernatural moving of Jesus in your life. He gave you someone where His grace can overabound (Rom 5.20) and produce godly seed (Malachi 2.15).

As well as the Eternal One seal His bride with His Spirit, He sealeth up the woman with the husband (Genesis 2.24; Songs 8.6,7), so that the man can invest without reservation in the life of the wife, and this one, open hand of everything that once was in herself to receive all this investment, in the certainty that both will experience the true meaning of love and be loved.

Love does not expect others to change. He joins those who are of Jesus so that He can manifest and take out of the two involved what is best within them and that was put there by Jesus (see Ezek 28.13). To illustrate this, note how the Eternal One, when He wanted to express his love to Adam in a way more physical, He made out of his inside what He had already put inside him. 

Note how the love had not intended to bring something to Adam. In the Eternal One, he was already full. What love made in the life of Adam was to get out of him something that was part of his nature in order that he might receive a new completion of the Eternal One and have someone  to help him to have a reason to seek to know Jesus and receive Him something new.

As you can see, true love is not something that we experience outside of us, much less something that we seek out of us (as initially did Adam - Genesis 2.20). It only can come to the public at rest: when the man rests and hopes in Jesus (Psalm 37.7), He operates the miracle of marriage, making His love get out of him and materialize in the form of someone in whom He can return to manifest His image and likeness (Gen 1.25,26; 5.1,2).

LOVE IS NOT THE PURSUIT OF THAT LACK, BUT THE SHARING OF WHAT EXISTS IN ABUNDANCE

But, most importantly: love is not and cannot be selfish (1 Corinthians 4.5)! After all, from Adam to the last man to come to exist, there is only one man who is: Jesus (Exodus 3.14). This means  that, when Jesus gave His life for love of the Church, He did so by someone who is nothing.

In other words:  marriage does not consist in the man looking for someone who is to supply what he  is not. Rather, it is the overflow of Christ in man (Psalms 23.5), when he rests and wait in Him (Psalms 37.7), so that the best of everything that there is inside him get out of him and give opportunity for the Eternal One can make to overflow His grace where sin abounded (Rom 5.20). In this way, Jesus could be everything in the life of whom nothing is, causing her to be perfectly able to assist her husband to stop being who is to be what the Eternal One designed Him to be and, thus, Jesus could be everything in both (1Cor 15:28; Col 3:11).

Understand: Adam was physically complete. However, it was when He "gave" something of himself that the woman came to exist. Never the man should think that it is finding a woman that he will see some sense in his life. After all, when the man finds his wife, he found himself, that is, he found someone who is nothing, and therefore has nothing to add. It is in that man lives the sacrificial love of Christ in her life that he, then, discovers the real meaning of life. In other words, the man does not find satisfaction in the woman, but in the action of Christ within himself in favor of his wife.

The woman, in turn, has no existence itself (it was created for man's sake - 1Cor 11.8,9). Although physically she was complete, she only finds the direction for her life receiving of the husband everything that he has to give her. The woman does not need to be supplemented (as if she had something good), but completed in full.

To be more accurate: man was created complete, but this completeness in itself didn’t give meaning to his life.  This teaches us that, even if the man has everything that is needed to satisfy all his body's needs and soul’s desires, yet he won’t feel someone satisfied.

It is not merely the marriage that makes you happy. It is obvious that, in the day of the wedding, when he took the decision to share his life with someone, he feels happy. However, the full happiness can only be achieved if he decides to give life to his wife daily to keep her saved from herself (Ephesians 5.25-27). Note: we are only saved from ourselves from the time we receive Jesus and His bride within us (John 6.51-57; Rev 3.20).

 Similarly, the woman was created, but also the completeness makes no sense. Only when she receive the seed of man, she will be able to experience a piece of herself out of his belly, and thus ,be saved through the generation of a new life whose purpose is to continue the work which the Eternal One began in the life of husband.

Finally, the essence of love is not a supplementing the other, but the overflow of what already is complete, with a view to generate more complete lives . Any filling required will come from inside to outside.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIKING AND LOVING

To understand the love, let us think of the promise of revelation:

 

·        "For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." (Rev 7.17);

·        "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Rev 21.4).

 

Think: how is it possible not to be mourning, crying, pain, whereas many of those who we ken and love will be in the lake of fire and brimstone?

The reason why today we regret the death of someone is not because we love the guy, but because of the loss of someone  whose presence was convenient to satisfy the desires which we have decided to hold on.

However, in heaven, Jesus will wipe away our tears in the following way:

 

1.      Purifying our souls, which will give us more appreciation for truth, justice and true love;

2.      Showing us the truth, i.e., revealing us what actually exists in the hearts of those who we enjoyed;

 

In other words, while here, what we understand by consolation is seeing things return to happen the way that suits us, the heavenly comfort consists in having to do things the way that Jesus sees, in order to position ourselves properly with joy in the midst of everything that is happening in the expectation that Jesus will operate through us.

The lake of fire and brimstone will serve precisely as confirmation, namely, so that, if someone have doubt that there is  suffering that can transform the heart of man, they may have reaffirmed this truth reaffirmed in their hearts.

To be more accurate: true love is not capable of resting seeing the well-being of those who likes, knowing that they are involved with the injustice. The true love only find rest in the Truth (1 Cor 13.7), even though this often is painful to the flesh.

And the reason for this is simple:

 

·        "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." (Heb 12.11).

 

Understand the difference between "loving" and "liking". Those who like someone have the lean of questioning themselves: and if the individual is lying, what am I going to do about it? Well, let's leave that individuals determine our way of thinking and feeling, or we will persevere in expressing the virtue of Christ and pointing to the neighbor the path to be followed?

Many times we regret in giving something good to someone bad. Hereby it arises the following question: wherein are we investing our lives? Are we giving to others something really good? If yes, why are we afraid or sorry to give? What is truly good, is also abundant and can never be used for evil.  On the contrary: only boosts increasingly toward the well, both the giver and the recipient (see Gal 6.7-9).

If we are filled with the true good, there would be no difficulty in living what Jesus commanded (as occurred with the apostles):

 

·        "And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith." (Luke 17.4,5).

 

The righteous is bold as a lion (Prov 18.1) because, as they are full of well real, the more they shares, more blessed they become (Acts 20.35); the more they try to take it from the righteous, more that abounds in him (Rom 5.20).

Why we are afraid of losing time with someone? What are we doing with our time? If what we are doing is something nice to Jesus, what are we complaining of? Otherwise, why are we doing something that we know not pleasing to Jesus? Or do we insist on believing that something really good for us can come from any human being (contradicting Matthew 19.17; James 1.16,17)?

Why do we need so much time? To run after what, once that Jesus has promised to supply all our true needs if we seek His kingdom and righteousness (Matt 6.33; Phil 4.19)? Or are we engaging in useless amusement?

Who fears love their neighbor is walking without Christ toward the darkness of the flesh (1John 2.9-11), without any pleasure in seeing Jesus manifest Himself. That Jesus give us the grace to want to see Him manifest His truth and salvation in any and every situation, independent of the people and their motivations. After all, no matter what people will do with the grace of Christ through us (see Phil 1.15-18): the important thing is that the will of Jesus is being made, His name being glorified and His power and character becoming increasingly known of principalities and powers (Eph 3.10). 

IT IS NOT THE PRESENCE OF EVIL THAT THREATENS THE HOME, BUT THE ABSENCE OF THE MANIFESTATION OF THE WELL

The important thing was not the presence of Ha-Satan in the Garden of Eden. If the Eternal One, which is the owner of the garden, gave him such an authorization, who are to prevent it? What we must do is to fruit, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it to Christ (Genesis 1.28). The Ha-Satan had not empowered to act until the falling.

Similarly, only ourselves (with our lack of confidence in Christ that translates into fear and selfish desires) can hinder the action of Christ in us. Ha-Satan has no power to stop us of approaching of Jesus. Just don't give confidence to the “advice” and "wisdom" of him, but remain in what the Eternal One gave us.

By doing so, there will be no place for anything bad for the life of those who Jesus puts in our way and, consequently, nothing bad for harvesting.

THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING THE TRUE IDENTITY OF THAT ONE WITH WHOM WE LIVE

In my journey to understand the revelation, I came to this verse and discovered something extremely vital: the importance of knowing the name of the Eternal One.

 

·        "And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea," (Rev 7.2).

 

After all, what is this seal?

 

·        "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads." (Rev 14.1).

 

As you can see, this seal, whose purpose is to protect the 144,000 elects, is the name of the Father and the Son. Before this, I am asking myself: why those who claim to believe in Jesus did not think in seeking to know this name?Most people think that this is not important. 

However, think: if the name is not important, then someone could call him Baal, Ashtaroth, Milcom and Chemosh, Dagon, etc. It is curious how each pagan religion has its divinity well defined (either your name, attributes, character, will, etc.) and this is past with diligence by generations, without having a concrete evidence that support their beliefs. In other words, each one go believing in what the other generations have said.

However, in relation to the Eternal One and Jesus, each one believeth on Him in a different way. The majority does not care to know who He is and the few that give some importance to this, do not know how to do anything else but are fighting with each other and trying to attract disciples after themselves, without even knowing the truth of what they are believing.

Dear brothers, let us not delude ourselves! This idea of finding that the Eternal One is the butcher or cardiologist (who only looks on the heart, distorting 1 Samuel 16.7), is absurd!!! Do you remember the workers of iniquity?

 

·        "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7.21-23).

·        "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." (Luke 13.24-27).

 

Note how they firmly believed that they were doing the will of the Eternal One and yet, He says: "I never knew you", " I know you not whence ye are." If only sincerity of heart enough, they all would be saved. In addition, see what Paul says:

 

·        "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1Thes 5.23).

 

Think for another angle: and if your spouse forget your name? How would you feel?

THE ABSENCE OF SIN DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE PERFECT UNITY

Have you ever thought what took the man to accuse the woman so easily? Although the sin separate individuals, the absence of it does not imply on perfect unity. 

See the case of angels, for example. All of them were created with glorified body, in perfect purity and holiness, without any unfavorable circumstances to overwhelm them and without anyone to tempt them. However, still the third part of them rebelled against the Eternal One. This does not seem to make sense.

You can question: but the other two thirds remained perfect. However, think: if that is so, then why is said in Holy Scripture:

 

1.     "Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:" (Job 4.18).

2.     “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these." (Heb 9.23).

3.     "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." (Col 1.19,20).

 

Think: but those things which are in heaven (including the angels) are not reconciled with Jesus? What is in heaven now is not pure?

Not! Although the angels are in purity and holiness, yet they cannot express the likeness of the Eternal One (the family that is in Him). It is of it that the angels need to be redeemed. 

Why something is not sin, this don’t mean that this pleases the Eternal One. The laborers of Matthew 7.21-23, for example, were doing everything right, but still were called workers of iniquity.

 

4.     "And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth." (Malachi 2.15).

 

If the angels form a heavenly family, then why did Jesus is seeking a seed for Him?

Therefore, although the angels possess purity and holiness (thus expressing the image of the Eternal One), yet they do not express the likeness of the Eternal One. That is why it is necessary that they also be redeemed, as well as all the rest of creation (plants and animals - Romans 8.18-22).

Although there is a harmony among the angels, yet such harmony is such as to happen in a fair trade: each one complies with their obligation and collaborates with each other. However, this does not bring full satisfaction in the life of anyone.

You may ask: "but the company of the Eternal One brings love, peace and perfect happiness." If this were so, Adam would not need a help meet (Genesis 2.18). Although the man had the company of the Eternal One and of animals, yet, in the eyes of the Eternal One, he was regarded as being alone (Genesis 2.18).

Returning to the garden of Eden, don't think that he was perfect before the fall of man. If that were so, why would the Eternal One subdue the earth to man (Genesis 1.28)? What need would have of saving the earth before sin? Although Ha-Satan walked around there, he only came to represent a problem at the day that the woman decided to listen to him. Until then, he could not do anything.

Therefore, the nature was not perfect, as many think. It needed the man to put it in order (or at least keep it in order). Although the sin had not entered the world, this is not assured deep relationship between the creation.

Even in the case of Adam and Eve. The natural relationship that emerged between Adam and the Eternal One and between Adam and Eve were broken very easily because of a "simple" sin. Adam should not difficulty in disposing Eva. But, if before the fall had not sin, why the commitment between a man and a woman was not perfect? Even more considering that, being the absolute will of the Eternal One good, perfect and pleasing (Romans 12.2), for sure Eve was everything that a man could want, both body, soul and spirit.

Finally, in the face of all this, there is no doubt: no free relationship (without blood) is really solid.  Many are well aware of the episode of Gethsemane, but until today they did not understand the message, namely that if there was a possibility of some relationship to work without the shedding of blood (see Hebrews 9.22), the Eternal One would have answered the prayer of Jesus.

There is no real remission without the shedding of blood. Hence the need to even things which are in heaven be purified, because, although in heaven there is no sin, but there is also no family relationship (Heb 9.23). Remission implies construction of intimate relationship: one inside the other.

THE EFFORT OF MAN IS LACK OF FAITH IN WHAT THE ETERNAL ONE IS CAPABLE OF DOING

Religion is nothing more than the human effort in trying to please the Eternal One. Every effort can even generate fruit, but also generates thorns and thistles (Genesis 3.17-19); you can even bring some physical benefit, but it also brings tiredness and debt:

 

·        "Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." (Rom 4.4-8).

 

Who specializes in service fatally will upset the Bridegroom, as it gives in marriage.

 

·        "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." (Romans 11.6).

 

See the case of Martha and Mary. Who Liked Jesus was Mary, who devoted their time to hear Him. I do not know if Martha was working to do something to Jesus or to serve Him. Be that as it may, what pleased Jesus was the dedication in doing what like Him. And what most pleases someone when it comes to visit us is we stop everything to listen to Him.

Saul also fell because he don’t struggling to rest and wait in the Eternal One (Psalm 37.7).

 

·        "And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering." (1Sam 13.8-12)

 

After all, the Eternal One is what it is, and not just what He was or what we hope that He will be. Te true faith is not to accept Jesus the way that meets our expectations. Many like religion because they assume that they have found a way to keep the divinity under control. But the key is not forcing situations, but feel with Christ which every one around us feel, think what each one thinks, and then seek in Christ and His Word to the solution.

Hence Jesus said:

 

·        "But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved." (John 5.34). 

·        "I receive not honour from men." (John 5.41).

 

And Paul confirms:

 

·        "For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring." (Acts 17.23-28). 

 

No relationship is the same. The key is to try to seek the harmony between thoughts and feelings of ours, of the spouse and those of Christ.

 

·        "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:" (1 Corinthians 2.7).

 

This is the interaction that produces true relationship and reveals the true wisdom.

 

·        "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love." (Galatians 5.6).

 

Finally, what ensures the healthy relationship is not the compliance or disregard the rules, but our trust in Christ, which operates through the links that have been established with the neighbor (starting with the spouse, who is the nearest).

So? What do you want to keep? A purely commercial relationship with your spouse or the instrument that will Jesus "paste" you in one another through the Truth operating in the absences and excesses of you?