God And The Law

It seems to me that the law, in a biblical sense, is what applies to people when they do not have a relationship with God. Developing a relationship with God has been a very long, difficult and unfun journey. It has not at all gone the way that I envisioned it. It has not been completely horrible, but it has not been fun and exhilarating. It’s really been a mixed bag. We seem to really believe that the relationship with God is instantaneous; like, as soon as we accept Jesus the work is done. It’s not done; in fact the work has just begun. And we think that the road to knowing and understanding is easy if we read the Bible; it’s not. None of the things written in the Bible can explain God. God, however, explains the things that are written in the Bible.

And this is the whole issue when speaking about the law. We read the Bible and try to apply the laws written therein to our lives. Eventually, however, you are going to recognize that it is not at all possible to apply all of the laws. Even the most pious of Christians will find themselves breaking one of the 10 sayings at the very least and sometimes, a whole plethora of them all in one go. What humans don’t seem to understand is that God created our bodies, God knows how they work and God can lead us to get them to do the things that they should be doing. We, humans, seem to just be borrowing these bodies.

We have lost communication and a relationship with God. And so we try to replace that with the Bible, but the Bible doesn’t make up for a relationship with God. Seeking God and allowing God to show you the truth, not the truth that you think should be, is what becomes a relationship with God. And when you learn it from God, it will be peaceful, not like a jolt; from my experience it has always been a calming breeze rather than a sudden bolt. I have felt anxiety about things that I thought that I should do, or stop, but when I get out of that anxiety I learn to just let God handle it. If it is something that God must remove, God removes it smoothly and you will probably not even notice until it’s gone. You will not find yourself, holding your breath or stressing that the thing happens, it just does.

Most people don’t know how to let go and let God because most people do not know God. Especially in this current generation where they base their relationship with God on the Bible. If they have a question, they go to the Bible or a pastor. Few will ask God THEMSELF and hope for a response. That’s not to say that God can’t use the words of a pastor or the Bible, but if your heart isn’t inclined towards God and actually having a relationship with THEM, you will find yourself always getting the answer you expect but not necessarily the truth. It is up to you which you want, God or just an answer for this particular situation.

A relationship with God, as I have stated, isn’t an easy thing for humans to develop. We know, and are told things that are true but they have not been established in our hearts and therefore, we simply cannot have faith in them or even believe. No amount of telling someone to believe will actually teach them to believe. No amount of hoping in God or “having faith” will actually teach you to have faith. You can try as you might but you cannot reach God or God’s throne without God’s help. God is not a man and does not reside on this earth. However, God created the earth and us and knows us in and out. God can hear us but will not always answer us, depending on where our hearts are inclined. The closer we get to God, the more THEY will respond and the more we will understand, it seems, but to get there takes a while.

Have you wondered why you can’t command a mountain or move a tree? Have you wondered why you worry? Simple. You do not have the relationship with God that is spoken of in the Bible. But you can, you just have to ask God for it, and seek after it. It’s not fun because everything that you thought you knew will fall by the wayside. God will strip it all from you and it will hurt. Do not anticipate it, because you don’t know how or when it will come. But know that it comes and goes like the wind, from one place to another, very naturally, very subtly. You don’t see it coming but when it comes you will know and you will cry out in pain. God will keep you, and you will indeed die. This is the old man that is so often spoken about in Churches. This person that you were taught to build up will be nailed to the cross. And you will then live anew, and be taught of God, and the things that you are taught are pure and holy and your walk with God will be quickened.

Before this happens, however, God will have already begun teaching you some things. You will rejoice at times and at others you will sob. God will be removing that covering of your heart and will teach you about THEM. It is wonderful to know the secret things of God but not very many people will believe you, so you may have a hard time talking to others. And along the painful journey you will ask yourself if the walk is worth it; if the pain is worth it. You will wonder if the loneliness and ‘lack of’ is worth it. Hopefully, you will concede that though it is not something that you wished to endure, you do not wish to turn back. But don’t fear, even in the hardest times of making that decision, God’s Spirit will carry you. And as you progress, you may say to God as I did, “I never wish to come this way again!” Because why should we leave the embrace of God again? This is likely why the path isn’t fun or it is full of pain. Remember what it took to get back and never stray again.

You do not know how the Spirit works in your heart and in your life. S/HE works in the most mysterious and unknown ways. You will lift up your voice to curse God and the path that you are on and in the next you cry out to God wondering why you are like this. You will see just how little control you actually have over your body. You will understand how, even though all the wickedness that is within your soul will fight tooth and nail against God’s Spirit, none can pluck you out of Jesus’ hands. When I say it is literally impossible, I mean, it is just as impossible as Jesus not having fulfilled His purpose. God spoke of Jesus’ mission as though there was no other possibility but that He succeeded and He did, a thousand times over, and so it will be with you and your walk with Jesus. 

We read the Bible and we think that we know how to do this thing, but we don’t. We have to go back the way we came. We started out having a relationship with God at creation and humans walked away. We don't automatically return. We have to go back the way our ancestors came and let God re-establish that relationship with us. It is a hard and arduous journey, one filled with questions and doubt and wonder. But God will teach us and we will be taught. And we will repair the breach that was created by those who came before us. God will show, through us, how we are supposed to live and it will be marvelous… if you believe what is written in the Bible.

And when I say ‘God will teach us and we will be taught’, I mean that right now we read and we try to integrate into our lives what we have “learned”. But we have not actually learned it. Salvation is absolutely not a question of logic and understanding. Salvation is about the Holy Spirit working within us. Because when the Spirit works within us, then the things of the Bible make sense. When we are taught of God it is not a human knowing, it is a heart or mind knowing. It has little to do with the brain and everything to do with your open heart towards God. You can read the Bible and believe a thing until you are blue in the face and still not know what God intended. It is a heart thing that makes the logic make sense. Otherwise, the logic, also, will not make sense. So, if you are preaching to people and wondering why they cannot see the proof of God around them, it is highly likely that God hasn’t worked on their heart.