Beyond the Stars   

 Part 3 

Will, covenant, ratification   

   God's law, written on tablets of stone, is good. But it's demands result in our condemnation. We cannot obey sufficiently to please him. 

   When we first believe in Christ's atoning death (his ratification of the new covenant), we receive the Holy Spirit. He writes God's law of love on the tablet of our heart (2 Corinthians 4). Only then, we have spiritual power to begin conforming to God's will, starting with love of God and "neighbors."

  

   This is freedom - from condemnation and slavery to the power of sin. It's not liberty to do whatever we choose and rationalize it away.

   We don't sit in the back row and rest. We welcome the Spirit's presence and direction, assisted mainly by the Scriptures. God expects us to overcome our nature and the world's ways; in fact he demands it, as we see in the Revelation. 

   God has an out-of-this-world resurrection for us, in his Son's likeness. His will is that we begin that transformation - growing from birth like any baby - a new creation of character and moral state. We will fully realize our maturity only when we see him. 

   No Spirit, no transformation. With Spirit...

   The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God's children ... heirs ... co-heirs with Christ, if we share in his suffering in order that we also share in his glory (Romans chapter 8). 

   Suffering? This not trouble-free Utopia. Satan deceives. The Spirit helps us in our weakness ... intercedes for us ... for the saints in accordance with God's will (verse 26). 

   In the New Testament, a saint is one who receives the Son on his terms, remains faithful, trusts and obeys. 

   Revelation 21:7 - He who overcomes will inherit all this and I will be his God and he will be my son. Rev. 3:21 - Jesus told John in his vision, To him who overcomes I will give the right to sit with me on my throne...  

   Can you believe it? 

The above is taken from the Bible; this is not the blogger's interpretation.

  Tomorrow: Get ready to cheer ... and mount up!