How We Process Blame

I'm just sitting here thinking about how a child's perception of the world is so different from an adult. Children have something magical that adults need to see and adults have stability and perspective that children need. God was so wise to give us overlapping generations.

Adults have a responsibility to the children or their generation. If adults get cut off from that magic something is lost. One of the responsibilities that often parents take on is to teach courtesy and responsibility. That is so needed because if this is done right (and that may be very different for each unique family situation) then those children will have a  good transition into adult life.

"For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus." - Romans 2:14-16 ESV

This seems like an odd passage to quote but I think God must teach us how to process blame. Children will often blame themselves for a tragedy and then secretly harbor that blame and carry it into adulthood. A trusted adult needs to reassure a child that tragic events are 'not their fault.'

We don't know how to forgive. God sent Jesus to teach us how. He died on a cross to give us an 'instrument' of forgiveness.

We need God to bring us out of 'accusing or even excusing' ourselves and others. We don't know how to forgive. We don't have the power or authority to leverage forgiveness off of our self. God forgives because of the cross. He makes a reckoning and says that because Jesus shed His blood we are forgiven. If we see the cross as God does we will leave the 'accusing' or 'excusing' economy far behind.

"When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." - 1 Corinthians 13:11-13 ESV

As adults, we can still have the wonder. If we become spiritual adults we can have it all. We can have faith, hope and love. We can have a healthy way to process responsibility that has liberty. We can be free.

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It Is Finished - Part 16

I touched on this subject back in June but never got to really bring it out. How the Finished work of Christ confers on the believer the status of adult friendship and adult son-ship. He put's us immediately at the 'last stage' of an intimate relationship with Himself.

Grace teaches us how to function in the relationship we already have with Him from the moment of our salvation.

"And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.' " Matthew 3:16-17 ESV

Here we see Christ at the inauguration of His Earthly ministry. I have often focused on the statement of the Father praising His Son but the Spirit here shows His approval also in an interesting way. Like a bird He lights upon Christ. Doves are shy creatures but the Spirit of God trusts Christ like a bird that has times of investment so that trust could be gained. Of course the trust and adoration is there. There is eternal oneness in the Trinity. What would seem to take time is timeless in this relationship.

The relationship between David and Jonathan grew. The relationship between Jesus and His disciples didn't. They got to know each other but He didn't get to know them. It was instant.

"Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, 'Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!'

Nathanael said to him, 'How do you know me?'

Jesus answered him, 'Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.'

Nathanael answered him, 'Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!' " John 1:47-49 ESV

Was Jesus functioning in His omniscience? I don't think so. He laid that aside as He walked as a man (see Phil 2:7). He was a Man functioning in the Spirit with the knowledge He needed when He needed it and grace was His method. He was and Is the channel of grace. Immediate acceptance is the way grace functions.

"Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man." John 2:23-25 ESV

Jesus was no fool. Wisdom is not naive. He was willing and waiting to be gracious but did not cast His pearls before swine. But... when there is connection it is full and free with out a probation period.

The finished work of Christ confers a full free relationship to us. Christ lays it like a mantle on our shoulders. He crowns us with loving kindness.

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:" - 1 John 3:1a KJV

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Romans 8:14 KJV

The 1 John reference uses Teknon (G5043) a word for children and the second verse uses Huios (G5207) a word for an adult son. A teknon became a huios. We have adult status and function in it when we function led by the Spirit of Grace.

"No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you." John 15:15 ESV

We could look at a verse like this and say, 'Look the relationship grew in some way because He is telling them this at a certain point in the relationship.' but when did we ever see Jesus treat any of them like servants? He didn't. This was the transition that Jesus made possible. Man related to God in a servant-master and subject-King relationship. Jesus broke that mold.

When we see the validity of this truth how does it cause us to function? What is the application? How do we approach God? How do we treat the stranger?

Christian love is not foolish but it may seem foolish because it is lavished so freely and so quickly. That may put people off or draw predators that think their scams will have easy targets. No matter. Love wins. It wins because it outlives it's opponents. It wins because it is not foolish. It is Spirit led love.