Nonsensical Ramblings of Mark

Part one is here . Part two is here . So, now that we have established, in part, what sin is and why God would have created us with the capacity to sin we have almost laid the whole foundation. The next bit is probably the most important part because it unlocks the capacity that we have to relate to God. The Bible is clear that God is love and God created us with the capacity to love. It is important to catch that because our relationship to God (creature to creator), our nature (being made in his image), and our ability (to love) are all connected and form the crux of the issue of why there is sin at all. We were created for a singular purpose: to subdue the earth and rule over it. Now there are all kinds of ideas that we can float to try to understand what that means, but the Bible is clear on one thing in particular. We were called to obey God and, through our obedience, we were love him and advance his righteous rule on the earth. We are made in his image in that we can partici...

Part one is here . So what is the deal with this whole sin thing anyway? I mean, why did God even create us with the capacity to sin? Why couldn't there have been just a (to coin a phrase) bunch of shiny, happy people holding hands? I think that the answer, from the Bible, is twofold.  The first, as far as I can see it, is that God is creative. It is within his nature to create and if he did not create he would be inconsistent with his nature and he would cease to be God. It is almost like me, being a human, suddenly grew scales, lost my arms, legs, and lungs, grew a tail and gills, and started swimming around in the ocean. I would have lost those things that classified me as human and anyone who looked at me could see that I was a fish. That is how fundamental creativity is to God. He must create. And he certainly did. The second is that, in his creativity, he wanted to make something, or someone, absolutely stunning. So, he created men and women in his image .That does not ...

Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?”  She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.” - John 8:10-11 God hates sin. That may even be too little to say because, well, to my wife's chagrin, I hate strawberries. But if I was hungry enough, I would eat them. God can never be "hungry enough" or in a different state of mind where he would suddenly find some sort of affinity for sin. It would never happen. He. Loathes. It. Everything about him literally screams out at the thought of even the slightest sin. So what is sin? Sin literally means "missing the mark". So, God says for me to do this, and I don't do it. I missed the mark. I have sinned. He may also say not to do something. If I do it anyway, I missed the mark. I sinned. The "problem" with God is that he never says that it is OK to miss the mark. Even once. But, we come to find out, that is ...

Was it a morning like this? When my Lord looked out on Jerusalem? - Was It a Morning Like This, Sandi Patty OK I do have to say that "Was It a Morning Like This" is as rocking a song as I have ever heard. It is just so good and Sandi Patty belts it out so well. At any rate, the two lines quoted above talk about a risen Christ looking out over the city where his Father chose to dwell within the midst of his people.  I know I am being simple here, but I wonder if it looked any different to Jesus after he rose? I mean, how could it not? People strode this way and that lit with the flame of their Salvation. He breathed in the deep breath of the satisfaction, forever, of God's anger against sin (his wrath). He must have smiled at the peace he, himself, was to breathe on his Apostles and those that would come after him as a result of their preaching. Was he staggered, even a little, at the unleashing of the Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father and himself, to convict...