So, if the topic be "unity" I hear "schism". Or, if the topic "peace" or "safety" (or you name it), we get nearly it's opposite.
Think of our leaders in Washington. They know! They know that they "must" deal with the debt issue. . . soon! So then, what happens in reality? Postponement, foot-dragging and finger pointing. We "must" act responsibly! Result? No single person ever is held accountable?
Now, the glory of gospel is that there is a working solution to the backwardness and perversity of things. Take "unity" for example. If we intend to "build unity", we "get" factions. Our usual response is to thus is to; "try harder"! But, Christ is the "new thing" in earth. And, in pursuit of Him. . . you do get unity. . . "indirectly", or as a 'by-product". Simply then, if any-thing is "the goal" (other than He-Himself), we (always!) get "unintended consequences", or very nearly our goal's "opposite"!
Tell a drunkard; "That stuff will kill you, if you don't stop". Result? "Let's have a drink!". Inform a smoker; "That's bad for you". Result? He smokes. . . but just not in your presence? This. . . is "progress"?
The glory of gospel promotes King Jesus as "goal", King Jesus as "source', and said King, as "means". He mends the breach between God and man, and also that other one between man and man. Peace, as a by-product can (now) break out. . . because of Him.
In unity's case then, man "can" be at peace with man, in that men are now at peace with their Maker. And this portion of the Christian view is (it seems) about as far as we'd normally care to go.
But, I'm thinking here today. . . union-unity, one-ness per se, if that is our topic; what of Moe? The founder of the "muslim" cult promotes a "one-god", a strict mono-divine, and actively rejects the Trinity. The simple idea of Islam is that "allah" (just) "might" forgive, provided you are very, very "good", and also very, very lucky! But, in the cult is no "mechanism", no "lever" by which to "influence his" decision by! That sawed-off, "almighty's" decision I mean.
John, the apostle, teaches that "God is love". May we thus infer that the Father-loving the Son, is being spoken of? "Love" means little if it isn't love-for "Another". So, in this sense then, "Unity" as-in "Tr-unity" posits a conflict! A conflict "in" God?, a "division"in Him? High heresy!. . . and yet something "like" this, is the very foundation of our lives.
Agenda One: Justice Shall Be Done! The revolt, the treason, the sheer madness of sin shall surely cease, in time, by main force! The warrior God Shall shatter! This, is "the" certainty.
One minor hiccup.
This kinda "conflicts" with His pledge to save His own to the utter-most. If justice hits, then there are n-o "survivors". If mercy "wins". . . where is justice? We got us a stand-off! What to do?
There is precisely one solution to this problem. And that one-nesss, of itself, we construe as "outrageous!". Christ then, not "merely" the sole peace-Maker between man and God, nor "just" the peace-Maker between man and man. . . but The Peace-Maker between Father and Son?
Just here, we begin muttering; "Now, you've gone too far!".
Partially, we view here; the limits of language. "Somehow", full-tilt Justice is expressed. . . and "somehow" Mercy everlasting is indeed established. Both occur. . . "in" Him.
This, precisely, is "why" Moe is so wrong! He is attempting to homogenize the two into a third, "none of the above" hybrid. He wants an "impersonal (arbitrary!) justice", combined with a mawkish (and plainly stupid) "mercy" melded into yet another crummy works-righteousness scheme, which he (Moe) personally controls? Results please? Disorder, poverty, ignorance and murder; all dressed up as "acceptable works". Keep 'em pal. . . We keep getting very nearly opposite results to what we "intend", and never (can, "of ourselves") learn.
I, for one, say "No." Look! Even Papa Almighty pursues the Son! There, in that love affair, it is no "abstract justice" we view, rather; it becomes The Son-crushed! It is no "indifferent kindness", it is The Son raised unto glory!
Pursue wealth, find poverty (at least of spirit?). Pursue the Son, find the true wealth! Pursue unity, find loneliness, and bitter rivalry. Pursue Him, find all else! And find with that finding, you having been "joined" into a much, much greater "One" than you could have ever humanly aimed for!
See? We do learn! Yes, with Help, yes, with repetition, yes, by saying aloud the lessons. . . it is the only working solution.
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