The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"The Lens of the Lamb"
As referenced in a previous message, God sees the human race through the lens of "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" and the Lamb slain "in the fulness of time" (Revelation 13:8; Galatians 4:4). Thus, He sees the unbeliever as one for whom His Son died, and the believer as one in whom His Son lives.
"And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" (I John 2:2).
"God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts" (Galatians 4:6).
Do we join our Heavenly Father in this view of grace and truth, based on the Lamb slain, the Lamb risen, and the Lamb as the singular hope for human hearts? To illustrate, I have very poor vision. Without my glasses, the world appears as a blur. When I put them on, however, things become clear. This precisely accords with Biblical and spiritual mindedness, based on the person and work of the Lord Jesus as it relates to the person and need of all in my sphere of influence. We must see through the lens of the Lamb, as our Father sees. The Apostle Paul referred to this clarified vision, based on the cross, the empty tomb, and the Spirit of God's redemptive moving upon and within human hearts:
"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if One died for all, then were all dead, and that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (II Corinthans 5:14-17).
Of all people, Paul did not ignore failings of the flesh, either of himself or of others. He well knew that not all unbelievers would trust the Lord Jesus, nor would all believers walk faithfully with Him. However, he determined to see all first and foremost through the lens of the Lamb. To the Apostle, human hearts were either the temple of Christ in fact, or the temple of Christ in potential. Our brother's philosophy and protocol regarding every person he met could be summed up thusly: "We thus judge, that if One died for all, then were all dead, and that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again."
Let us put our spiritual glasses on, thinking, praying, speaking, acting, and relating to every person in our life through the lens of the Lamb. Far too much was suffered and sacrificed by our Lord to hold any other view of hearts more precious to God than we can begin to imagine. Much changes when we see clearly, first, in our own hearts and minds, and then, in our influence on the hearts and minds of those we determine to see as does our Father, through the lens of the Lamb.
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear."
(I Peter 3:15)
"To be spiritually minded is life and peace."
(Romans 8:6)
Memory Verse
Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves."
(Psalm 100:3).
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