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'Christ in You...'
by Dale Krebbs
A friend and I were discussing the second world war.
He had some experiences that apparently biased him against war, regardless of the purpose or the outcome. Finally, after our discussion he ended it with the statement "...we were not worth it". He was referring to all the participants in that war.
All during the rise of America as a nation, there have been, over and over, sacrifices in wars and intrigues so that it became one of the major nations of the world. America has always said by a majority that it has been worth it.- it has been a thing called Freedom.
An international traveler once said, after traveling America for several years, that it could never be conquered from the outside. The only way, he said, would be from within. Recent events seem to add to his opinion. "The Trojan" horse method would be only way.
The participants in war do not settle all the issues, and it simply changes sides in conditions that eventually show up again. Human nature is never changed by war. Somewhere, sometime later, the same or other issues will rise up to a later generation or two, and the arguments grow and eventually it is decided that there must be a settlement by force.
Generation after generation this has been this has been the solution that eventually is not the solution. But human nature knows no other way. So...the struggles go on - and on - and on... But...it seems the way of human nature.
But one must ask....
Where is God?
It is His world. He made it.
Then, He created beings that possessed the elements that eventually could become His very children. They could become the children of the God, who made the world, and dwell with Him and live with Him forever. But why make them out of the dirt of the ground? Could He not simply create and give life and substance just like Himself if they were His children?
Some years ago, I heard an answer that seemed far stretched at first. But as the years have gone by, I am inclined to wonder. This "theory" (its only a theory) goes like this: the reason God made Adam and Eve from the dirt of the ground was a very wise way to bring children into the family of God.
There was a time when a great angel - the greatest, and most beautiful angel named Lucifer. As an angel he was an eternal being. But Lucifer turned against God, as the story goes. Being an eternal being, and therefore with eternal life, God could only cast him our of heaven. Lucifer became who we call the Devil or Satan here on earth. But God desired a family. He wanted children who could never rebel but who would be faithful and loving children as God loved them (Isaiah 14:12-15).
Now we can see the wisdom of God - if this were true.
If humans turned against Him, they could be destroyed or restrained so they could never rebel and become another Lucifer. Therefore, God made humans who would have the capacity to become His eternal children, or, if they refused or rebelled, against Him, they could be restrained before they could be made immortal.
His children who were just dirt to begin with, could become eternal beings who would never rebel. This removes the risk of creating an eternal being who could turn against God. He would not make them immortal until they had proven they could never rebel, but live in harmony and love with God forever.
Is it worth it now as we as His begotten children go through trial and testing to finally replace Lucifer? Once made immortal, we can never rebel because we are begotten and born of God Himself.
Whether or not this theory is true, we can live with God our Father forever. We will be as Gods own begotten children, tested and tried to prove that we will never rebel? The result for Lucifer has already occurred. We are being tested and molded to the point we can never rebel.
God knows what He is doing in your life and mine. He is molding a child that will live forever. We will never rebel or be cast out of heaven.
This should be worth any price of faithfulness we endure now.
"I have fought the good and worthy and noble fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith [firmly guarding the gospel against error]. In the future there is reserved for me the [victor’s] crown of righteousness [for being right with God and doing right], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that [great] day—and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and longed for and welcomed His appearing." - 2 Timothy 4:7-8
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