Gods Key to Our Heart

        Being Captivated By The Reality Of God In Christ Has Much To Do With Adjusting Our Thinking Away From Earning Gods Favor Toward Simply Receiving It

        So he went to him, and bandaged up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.( Luke 10 :34 NKJV ) In these times when the concern over victimhood seems to have come to the forefront of the human community it would be wise to take a look at the larger issue as seen from the biblical perspective. That is not see the topic from the standpoint of mere political opportunism, but from the standpoint of the fallen human condition and its tendencies in contributing to a spiritually damaged world.
         In our opening verse the man who was the victim of a crime going from Jerusalem to Jericho was fortunate to have a Samaritan take care of him when no one else would. Yet in truth this favor he received was only the begining of his journey. For after having been taken care of by the Samaritan there would have been so much for this traveler to ponder and learn from; some of which no doubt involved his own choices. ( Such as why travel alone and make yourself more of a potential victim ) The two individuals who declined to help him were a priest of some kind and a Levite; and their rejection of him no doubt wounded his spirit along with his already wounded body. In fact these latter occurences if he were not careful would potentially effect our victims soul long after his physical body had healed if it were not for the grace and mercy of this Samaritan who indeed did minister to him in his time of need. And here in is where our journeyman can either live out his life having been blessed by the one who did save him, or embittered by the ones who he felt should have.
        In Proverbs 3:5 the word of God says, ” Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding “. Though moral behavioral change may be the most notable evidence of an individual who has been converted to Christ more important though would be new patterns of thinking as a result of one hearing consistent precise biblical teaching. That is as this verse in Proverbs denotes not leaning or ” being supported ” by ones own thinking, but trusting and or ” attaching oneself ” to the victorious Lord. Obviously having been purchased by His blood our standing as believers is eternally as well as practically secure. Our only potential hindrance is, as the verse states, our own understanding. And as christians we must be clear as to the strength of our operative understanding. Operative best being defined in this case as either an unchanging and therefore , practically speaking , a life giving positional one, or the halting aspects of a lawful, legalistic one. And as  always being a recipient of the grace of God does not give one a license to sin it instead seeks to teach us to deny ungodliness. ( Titus 2:11-12 ) In the seventh verse of chapter two in the book of Titus the the word of God also says , ” in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptability”. The greek word for ” pattern” here is ” Tupus ” of which one definition found in the Zodhiate bible is ” a prototype or that which was yet to be developed and evolved”; prime example being The Old Testament types and symbols versus the reality and fulfillment of these things found in the New Testament. In truthfulness as christians still found on this earth we are hardly the testimony that Christ was and is and therefore in order to successfully impact the body of Christ as well as a lost and dying world our efforts must be sourced not in a limited lawfully oriented religious mindset ( selfrighteousness ), rather in the heartfelt positionally victorious finished work that Christ mercifully bestowed upon us. And though we want to show forth a “pattern” of good works a christians true ability to do so has less to do with the external manifestation of good behavior as much as a personal and internal victorious spiritual revelation of Christs victory at Calvary.
        As we continue on in our Old Testament studies we are brought to I Samuel 15 where the word of the Lord has come to Samuel in the form of his becoming aware that due to his independent ways the Lord ( as expected ) was rejecting Saul as Israels king. In the b-portion of verse 22 the prophet goes on to say to Saul , ” Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice”. And though referring to Saul as being independent is a mild form of what was simply rebelliousness his downfall is a lesson to us all. For though he came to enjoy the favor that God had shown him he was never really humbled by such an eternal blessing.

O.N.RIDER is seminary educated and living in Baltimore MD

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