“On The Dust At Last” ( Job 19:25, HCSB ) by Carley Evans

Job's Peak (Photo credit: glenngould)

“But I know my living Redeemer, and He will stand on the dust at last.”

When Job says this, he has not yet met the Lord. He has heard of the Lord God “by report” but he has yet to “see God with his own eyes.” Even so, Job knows that God lives; and he trusts that one day God “will stand on the dust at last.” Job understands God will overcome sin in mankind and so defeat death, the wage of sin.

What Job doesn’t know is the fullness of God; he doesn’t yet have a personal, face-to-face relationship with the living Redeemer. He has yet to “abhor himself and repent in dust and ashes.” At this point, he has only heard; he has yet to see!

“In Christ, All Alive” ( 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, HCSB ) by Carley Evans

Resurrection of the dead. Stained glass, region of Paris, ca. 1200. From the Sainte-Chapelle. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A monk tells me that all people everywhere eventually will be saved. I’ve read this view on the internet, on Facebook particularly. I’ve wondered about Paul’s statement that all things will be united under Christ, eventually. This is God’s purpose — yes? — to put all together under the authority of Christ.

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”

Does Paul really mean us to believe everyone everywhere will be saved? Will everyone be “made alive” through Christ just as everyone died “in Adam?” Many will answer with a resounding “no,” reminding that salvation comes with faith in and confession of Christ’s redemptive work. Others will hesitate, not knowing with certainty because God’s thoughts and His ways are so beyond us. Is God’s will crystal clear, or is it a mystery? Do we see everything or do we see through a glass darkly? Do we fully comprehend the depth of His love, or do we grope to find its end? Is there an end to His love? Or is He ultimately so perfect, we melt away in dust and ashes?

 

“According To The Scriptures” ( 1 Corinthians 15: 3-4, HCSB ) by Carley Evans

La conversion de Saint Paul by Luca Giordano (1690), Museum of Fine Arts of Nancy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Paul tells the church at Corinth that which is of most importance — good news that he is given; not a story he conjures but news he receives from God Himself. The truth Paul is given, he passes on to others. He writes:

^“3 For I passed on to you as most important what I also received:

that Christ died for our sins
according to the Scriptures,
⁴ that He was buried,
that He was raised on the third day
according to the Scriptures.”

This good news, says Paul, is “according to the Scriptures.” From before the beginning of the world, God devises His plan and reveals it over time through His Word. God gives this news to Paul on the road to Damascus and through experiences and further revelations. Every piece of information Paul receives, he verifies through the Scriptures.

The key, says Paul, to understanding this good news is to acknowledge Christ dies for our sins, is buried, and is raised again to life on the third day — all “according to the Scriptures.” Amen.

“It Is Finished” ( John 19: 30, KJV ) by Carley Evans

William Hole's interpretation of the Beloved Disciple joining Peter in the tomb. From book: The Life of Jesus of Nazareth. Eighty Pictures. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“When Jesus, therefore, receives the vinegar, He says, ‘It is finished;’ and He bows His head, and gives up the spirit.”

Jesus dies on the cross, accomplishing payment for the sins of the world. He is buried, visiting hell to remind our adversary he has no power over us.

“Peter, therefore, goes forth, and that other disciple, and comes to the sepulcher. So they run together; and the other disciple does outrun Peter, and comes first to the sepulcher. And he, stooping down and looking in, sees the linen clothes lying; yet goes he not in. Then comes Simon Peter following him, and goes into the sepulcher, and sees the linen clothes lying there, and the cloth, that was about His head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then goes in also that other disciple, who came first to the sepulcher, and he sees, and believes. For as yet they know not the scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.” (John 20:3-9, KJV)

He is risen! to achieve glory for Himself and for His children, the sons of God.

 

“The Good News” ( 2 Corinthians 5:21, NIV 1984 ) by Carley Evans

“God made Him — [that's Jesus, His Son who is also fully God] — who had no sin –[a man who is perfect, without blemish, totally pleasing to God] — to be sin– [to become sin itself] — for us –[that's those who believe the good news]–, so that in him –[in Jesus' accomplished redemptive work] — we might become the righteousness of God — [holy and blameless in God's sight.]”

And that’s the good news.

“Reason Of That Faith” ( 1 Peter 3: 15, WYC ) by Carley Evans

People worship gods of their own making; the reasons for this are explained in sociology textbooks — I’m sure. Maybe people worship stone carvings or imaginary beings because people can’t handle life on their own in this big universe. At any rate, apparently most people believe in a god, a higher power. Peter writes to the Christian:

“But hallow [honor] ye the Lord Christ in your hearts, and evermore be ye ready to [do] satisfaction to each man asking you reason of that faith and hope that is in you, but with mildness and dread,”

I can’t remember the last time anyone asked me why I have faith and hope in me. I’m not certain anyone is aware that I have hope and faith in me. I look in the mirror; I look about the same as everyone else. My work culture calls for behaviors that most Christians recognize as “Christ-like,” so I don’t particularly stand out there.

My defense, my satisfaction, is usually in written form — typed on WordPress and added on Facebook. I don’t know if I satisfy those who might want to understand the reason for my hope in Christ. Only one reason comes to mind: I hope in Christ because He takes hold of my life and never lets go.

“God Smites Us With A New Covenant” ( Isaiah 55: 1-3, WYC ) by Carley Evans

God is clear. He calls those who thirst and who are poor to come to Him. He asks rhetorically why those who are poor should spend what little they may have for things that do not satisfy? He says, “Come to Me.” And, He tells every one of us we need not pay. The covenant He “smites” us with is free!

^“1 All that thirst, come ye to waters [All ye thirsting, cometh to waters], and ye that have not silver, haste, buy ye, and eat ye; come ye, buy ye, without silver and without any (ex)changing, wine and milk. (All ye who thirst, come to the waters, and ye who have no silver, hasten, buy ye, and eat ye; come ye, and buy ye, wine and milk, without any silver, yea, without any exchanging of money.)

² Why weigh ye (out) silver, and not in loaves, and your travail, not in fullness? (Why spend ye your silver, but not for loaves, and the fruits of your labour, but ye be not fulfilled?) Ye hearing hear me, and eat ye (that which is) good, and your soul shall delight in fatness.

³ Bow ye [in] your ear, and come ye to me; hear ye, and your soul shall live; and I shall smite with you a covenant everlasting (and I shall strike with you an everlasting covenant), the faithful mercies of David.”

“Ready To Forgive” ( Psalm 86:5, KJV ) by Carley Evans

In Brooklyn this fall, my daughter and I attended a street fair centered around the arts — In one particular open air building, several people were giving away large, colorful bags. A few other people were handing out orangeade and lemonade sodas — for FREE! We were even allowed to come back for seconds — yes, the sodas were very good! on a hot day in New York.

David the psalmist sings:

“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.”

Of course, the difference between the street givers and the Lord is immense — the street givers are actually advertisers; they expect you to purchase their products at a later time and in great quantity. They hope this, anyway. On the other hand, God truly gives. Yes, He has expectations. His hope is that you will accept His gift so He may have a relationship with you through His Son, Jesus via His Holy Spirit.

And no need for seconds — this relationship lasts your lifetime and His!

“Since The World Began” ( Luke 1: 70, KJV ) by Carley Evans

^“68Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people,

⁶⁹And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David;

⁷⁰As He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began.”

God has been speaking to mankind “since the world began.” Initially God spoke to us face to face with no need for messenger or mediator. Then the serpent deceived the woman and the woman talked the man into going along — a sad picture of the fallen-from-grace. God cast them out and barred the way back. At the same time — even before that time — God formulates His plan. He will “raise up an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David” and He will “speak [to us] by the mouth of His holy prophets, which had been since the world began.”

Never did God give up on us. Even as He closed the gates to Eden, He planned to open them. Even as He turned His face from us, He planned a means to His desired end to have us see Him face to face once again. He planned His visit to earth in the form of a human infant, at which time He would fully engage Himself in being human so that He might save His people from our sins.

“Signs and Wisdom and Foolishness” ( 1 Corinthians 1: 22, HSCB ) by Carley Evans

Whether looking for signs — healings, slayings in the spirit, earthquakes, tsunamis, alien visitations, or whether looking for wisdom — scientific proofs, rational explanations, logical sequences, intellectual understandings, you do not see the fullness of God in either.

Rather, God chooses to reveal His fullness in what is “a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.” (1 Corinthians 1:23) God reveals Himself in “Christ crucified.”

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is God’s power to us who are being saved.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)