ADVENT #5 -- The BRIGHTNESS of HIS Glory . . . The EXPRESS IMAGE of HIS ESSENCE

Who+ being the brightness of HIS Glory, and the express image of HIS person, and upholding all things by the word of HIS power, when  HE+ had by HIMSELF+  purged our sins, sat down on the Right hand of the MAJESTY on High: HEBREWS 1:1-3, excerpts

Advent #6 -- The Warning from the LIGHT-HOUSE

In the beginning, was  The WORD+

 And The WORD+ was with GOD

And The WORD+ was GOD.

John 1:1

 BECAUSE The LORD JESUS has the same identical character as Our Heavenly FATHER, we have this confidence:

HE+ will never leave us nor forsake us, as Scripture tells us.

WHOSE CHARACTER Do You Reflect ? .... Passover Meditations for the Monastic-At-Heart ... Ephesians 2:1

Meditations  for Pascha

(The Passover Season, 2016)

+  +  +

Meditations for the Monastic-At-Heart

Now is My+ soul troubled;

and what shall I+ say ...

FATHER,

save ME+

from this hour ?

but for this cause

came I+ unto this hour.

FATHER,

Glorify Thy Name.

Then came there a Voice from Heaven, saying,

I have both glorified IT,

and will glorify IT again.

John12:27-28

+  +  +

Meditation Verse 

Ephesians 2:1

And you hath HE+ quickened,

who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Literal Greek:

And you all being dead in the transgressions and in your sins...

NOTE: 
The words " ... hath HE+ quickened " ( made alive ) is not found in the Greek text in verse 1 as it is in the KJV but rather down in verse 5.  The concept is there because verses 1 through 5 are actually one LONG sentence with many qualifying phrases. KJV translators decided to move that phrase ( "... hath HE+ quickened") to the beginning of the sentence. It is repeated in verse 5, where the Greek Text has it.

+  +  +

Meditation

We all know we are DEAD in our trespasses and sins ... until we repent and are washed clean by The Blood of the LAMB+ in the cleansing waters of Holy Baptism. ( See Acts 2:38, John 3:5, Romans 6:3-4, 1 Peter 3:21).

The Washing of our souls of dead matter is a Supernatural washing, indeed, and is when our spirits are born anew, from above. Then we experience TRUE Life and that Life is in CHRIST JESUS.

There is no other way to move from death unto Life, except through CHRIST.

But, what we may NOT know is:

what is sin. 

For instance, persons who practice same-gender physical intimacy may realize the Bible says it is wrong and churches (some) teach it is wrong. 

What they do not grasp is WHY it is morally wrong. Simply because "GOD said so" is not reason enough for sinners. 

Sadly, "because GOD said so" is not reason enough for a large majority of the church proper across the earth today.

SIN, however, is defined by GOD not man. HE Who shuts up Heaven against sinners is the ONE we need to hear !

So, let's hear.

The word sin is formed from the word MARTYR.  A martyr is one who bears a correct witness for The LORD. A martyr shows WHO+ The LORD is, in Spirit and in Truth. He reflects the true character of GOD.

With a negative particle prefixed to the front of martyr, making it amartyr, we have the Greek word for SIN.

SIN, then, is DOING something or BEING something that does NOT give a TRUE witness as to the character of The LORD.

That is the basis of all morality as found in Scripture. The reflection of GOD'S character is what makes RIGHT "right" and the inaccurate reflection of Our LORD'S character makes WRONG "wrong."

When we besmirch the character of The LORD in our words, our behavior, and our life-styles... we sin.

The First Covenant, known as the Old Testament by some, is full of commandments which instruct us on how to behave so that righteousness prevails in society and GOD'S character is reflected to the world .

When we defame the character of GOD in our thoughts, in our attitudes, in our values... we sin.

The New Covenant, as well as the First, is replete with instructions on how to forgive, how to deal with our tongues and hearts, how to treat our neighbors as well as our enemies. 

The New Covenant reveals that correct outward "behavior" must be accomplished inwardly.

Even if our neighbor does not see our hidden lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and our PRIDE of life, these sins are NOT HIDDEN to our LORD... and to the invisible Watchers.

[ Satan's evil spirits await our every mis-step in order to make us sin even more . Then, when in sin and out from under The LORD'S protection, the satan will steal from, kill, and destroy us in one way or another ... and  then, accuse us himself for not being obedient to GOD!]

Mankind was MADE in the likeness and image of GOD.

We must reflect that image in the purity in which it was given to us... or we will die in our SINS.

We must NEVER turn a deaf ear to the conviction of the HOLY SPIRIT when HE is nudging our conscience about sins. HE is working for our good, alerting us to a danger lurking ahead, trying to ensnare us in sin and then, injury. 

When conviction falls, we must immediately run to ... not away from... The LORD.

Only through the LORD JESUS CHRIST can our filthy souls be cleansed.

Being a martyr --- bearing witness, that TRUE reflection, of The LORD'S character --- is required of us. Indeed, it is required at the hand of ALL mankind. It is a pre-requisite for entering Heaven.

I+ am HE+ that liveth and was dead,

and behold,

I+ am alive forevermore,

AMEN,

and have the keys of hell and of death.

Revelation 1: 18

+  +  +

Let us pray:

O FATHER GOD, YOU have given us a Way to stop our offenses against Your HOLY nature.

Indeed, it is the only Way not to offend YOU.

In my sins, I have defamed Your character.

In my sins, I have besmirched Your person. I have borne a false witness to the world as to WHO You are, O Heavenly FATHER.

Forgive me for ignoring the Conviction of sin SO MANY TIMES which You have sent me through the HOLY SPIRIT.

Help me ... increase the heat, make me hasten ... to admit my sin to You. Forgive me for covering up my impurity.

Thank You, Holy FATHER, for giving us Your SON+ JESUS CHRIST so that we have a Way to become clean and new.

Help us walk in Your purity, now.

This we ask in the Name of Thy Pure SON+, our LORD JESUS CHRIST, Who+ shows us Thy True character. Amen.

+  +  +

Worthy is the LAMB+.

Worthy is The LAMB+

that was slain.

Worthy is the LAMB+,

slain

from the foundation

of the earth.

Revelation 13:8

+  +  +

PRAISE and THANKSGIVING

be to The FATHER,

and to HIS Beloved SON+

JESUS CHRIST,

and to

the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT.

ONE GOD:

FATHER,

SON+,

and HOLY SPIRIT,

both now and forever,

world without end.

Amen.