Insolomonsporch's Blog

Under-the-Influence

Why God Tolerates Satan… (for now)

Day Fifty-Four

“… the end of the matter is: Fear God [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is] and keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man [the full, original purpose of His creation, the object of God’s providence, the root of character, the foundation of all happiness, the adjustment to all harmonious circumstances and conditions under the sun] and the whole [duty] for every man.” Eccl 12:13 Amp

          I’ve heard the question asked, “Why did God not just write salvation in the sky?”  And it is a very good question. But as He published the Law in the old Testament – in a way He sort of did that very thing.  He wrote out Who He is, What He is About, and What He expects.  Yet neither the Law nor the Old Testament can save mankind.  At best they pointed a finger towards a coming Savior Who would (and did) redeem us all.

But the greatest issue addressed, the greatest need for us to recognize, and the central role for our lives is to recognize God’s authority: to recognize that all things are His: including us.  The central battle in the universe (as stated by Watchman Nee in Spiritual Authority) is about who shall have authority.  That same question is then the focus and fulcrum of all the teachings in the Scriptures, all the intentions of the Gospel message, and the issue behind all healings and miraculous works in the Bible and what we even see yet today.  It is answering that underlying question:  Who is the authority?  The answer of course is God Almighty. But there are some things I would like to point out.

Why couldn’t the Law redeem man? Why wasn’t it enough? And therefore why wouldn’t it work for God to just write salvation in the sky?  The answer is: for God’s authority to be fully expressed and received there needed to be subjection to that authority as a response.  Without the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross, there could be no redemptive life of the Spirit dwelling in us (no subjection). Without Christ we would be forever left with only self-will and the action of “sacrifice,” – we would never be able to achieve “obedience.”  Why is that you wonder?

Quoting from Watchman Nee: “Why did Samuel say that ‘obedience is better than sacrifice’? Because even in sacrifice there can be the element of self-will. Obedience alone is absolutely honoring to God, for it alone takes God’s will as its center.” (Spiritual Authority, p13) Nee goes on to explain that for there to be subjection to God – self has to be kept out or excluded from the process. So subjection to God is only possible as one lives in the Spirit (cause self always wants to be in change).  Thus, we can only truly express subjection to God when we are operating in the Spirit and Life of Jesus Christ.

This then, is what the Cross provided for us that the law could not. Yet, beyond this you must realize that all future with God, every blessing, every promise, every benefit is tied to “in Christ.”  There is nothing that can be assured or protected or sustained outside of “in Christ.”  In that place (in Christ), like the verse from Ecclesiates above shows, is the place of all promise. So imagine in the midst of cataclysmic disaster and destruction you hear of an island of safety – where there is only peace and stability, calm and freedom.  That would be an analogy to being in Christ. But you can never have the freedom from harm if you do not venture to that island.  Christ has purchased our salvation and freedom from a sin nature that will always seek to “do it my way.”  He sustains all things with His word of power, and all things are subject to Him (to His authority) – except those things like us who must choose subjection as an act of our will.  As we choose to submit to Him, and to acknowledge His authority over all things, we enter into safety from the controversy of the universe where the enemy attempts to lie, distort, distract, and to deflect us from the truth of God’s authority.

Why was salvation not written in the sky?  Because by your ascent and choice, God wanted to be able to write it on the tablet of your heart in His own handwriting – thus giving us the right and privilege to receive the life of His Son and to bring us into the place of proper submission to acknowledge and experience His true authority.