What Advantages Has The Christian?

Hello. Welcome to this post! Glad to have you.

Again, it's an absolute delight for me to write to you.

If it's your first time reading this series, let me enjoin you to catch up with previous publications of the same title on the blog. They would serve as prelude to this piece and will edify you.

So, I have been writing on the above subject for some weeks now and last arrived at the juncture stating that an advantage Christians have is redemption from the power of sin, so that it has no more dominion over us. I explained the last time that it is like voting in a new government that operates now on different principles, pillars or systems, and is far more empowering rather than demanding or exacting on her citizens. I wrote in a parable too that it is similar to being transferred to a new school completely different from the previous. The new being one that has teachers who are fully committed to our growth and empowering.

I surmised that this new government is that of Grace and it is founded on important pillars upon which it operates and achieves it's mandate of bringing us to the goal of perfection.

And I am sure of this: that the one who began a good work among you will keep it growing until it is completed on the day of the Messiah Yeshua (Philippians 1 vs 6; CJB)

I started by quoting that verse to reassure your hearts. You see, if we are in union with the Lord already by having come to faith in His birth, death and resurrection of Jesus, we need not have our hearts troubled for Christ is deeply committed to us.

Dear friends, we are God's children now; and it has not yet been made clear what we will become. We do know that when he appears, we will be like him; because we will see him as he really is (1st John 3 vs 2; CJB)

While it is imperative for us to pay attention to these grace pillars which I will now expound, I want you to be reassured already that the yoke is easy and the burden is light. Christ is gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your soul.

Let me quickly introduce you to the three pillars of the Grace government and then we will can take them one after the other.

For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God]. And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God's love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love. (1st Corinthians 13 vs 12-13; AMP).

Profound! Let me paraphrase what you just read so as to grasp it better, especially in the light of the earlier quoted passage - 1st John 3 vs 2.

Firstly, we are his children now, ABBA!

Daddy says his goal for us is to bring us to perfection - to make us become exactly like him. He says he in fact sees us in his exact image already! (My spirit wants to shout in unknown tongues here, but my darling wife lays asleep by my side in bed). He says we are unable to see it clearly yet; we are only seeing parts and blurred images for now.

Moreover, assuredly this time of imperfect imagery will pass. He will come to reveal himself fully to us and will see me very clearly. Then we will become exactly like Him!

While you look forward to my appearing and your glorification, that is for now, three things are important to pay attention to. Essentially, there are three pillars to hold on to:

1. Abiding Trust in God and His Promises (Faith)

2. Confident Expectation of Eternal Salvation (Hope)

3. Unselfish Love for Others growing out of God's love for us (Love)

Before I progress here, let me make a digression. You might have thought these three things abideth as we read in the KJV, or as the NLT even puts it categorically in what must be bad transcribing "Three things will last forever" means that the three things referred to here have relevance in God's kingdom to come.

Until then, there are there are three things that remain: faith, hope, and love - yet love surpasses them all (1st Corinthians 13 vs 13a, TPT)

Surely Not! These three pillars are rather important for us who await God's promise of final redemption. When he comes they actually will no longer have this relevance.

For Faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen. However, at the culmination, all of God's qualities will not just be compelling but invisible as they are today so that we need to exercise faith, rather when he comes in the clouds, every eye will see him, even those who pierced him and the prophets on earth will mourn because of him.

Hope will not be relevant then either because it would have been fulfilled.

It was in this hope that we were saved. But if we see what we hope for it isn't hope - after all, who hopes for what he already sees? But if we continue hoping for something we don't see, then we still wait eagerly for it, with perseverance. (Romans 8 vs 24-25; CJB)

And for Love, it is our commandment now. But then we will not require love as a command, it shall be our complete essence, what we would have verily become, for God is Love.

Faith and hope are temporary but love is eternal, so Love is the greatest.

I will begin to really expound on the Grace Pillars in my next writing.

JESUS LOVES YOU.