Sunday, April 7, 2024

 Furthermore, in the event that there is a shift in our desires, it is not due to any humanly influenced factors. Paul explicitly states that he does not pass judgment on individuals based on superficial appearances. This is because the Lord has declared that He comprehends the futile nature of human thoughts. Thus, Paul does not place his trust in his own virtuous deeds or his volition to do good. This is because the corruption of our thinking is the root cause of our distorted perception of ourselves and how we mistreat others. Genuine love is devoid of pretense. It does not determine its benevolent actions based on the recipient, but rather emerges as a consequence of God's intervention on our behalf, despite our unworthiness of avoiding punishment. As we continually succumb to the same sins or regress into those transgressions for which we criticize others, it becomes crucial to recognize that Christ fulfills the role of an advocate, imposing a universal obligation within His domain, encompassing even the most sinful individuals. Moreover, the shepherds of Christ serve as the source of His authentic and sincere love.

Christ personally engages with those whom He has chosen to pour out His love upon. The Holy Spirit serves as the witness, conveying this love to us. Even in our sinful state, we are still recipients of love, not as a consequence of judgment, but as a result of receiving goodness in our weaknesses, and grace and strength in our failures. If we believe that we must earn love through our own willpower, we will find ourselves constrained by human limitations and worldly burdens. Relying solely on our will leads us away from God's benevolence. We fail to recognize that our own efforts are insufficient. If we contemplate why a horse is inadequate for God's work, we realize that it merely serves as a means of transportation and empowerment for battles. A horse provides the capability to overcome adversaries and instills confidence in us as skilled warriors. However, God emphasizes that the true power and energy stem from His will, not ours. It is through grace that our desires are bestowed upon us; it is not our will that dictates our actions, but the love and grace we receive from Christ. We lack the authority to judge others based on their human capabilities, as every individual possesses a divided allegiance to these limited means. God calls upon us to view one another as recipients of His love and to engage in acts of goodness, not because of any personal trust in our own abilities, but because we are loved by Christ and protected by Him. We all start on equal ground as followers of Christ, grounded in grace, so that we may not accuse one another. I emphasize this point because our society has deviated from grace and fallen into a state of ignorance akin to the Dark Ages. Our church exhibits a lack of self-assurance, as if our sins serve as evidence against us when interacting with each other.

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