Nothing but …
I’ve been thinking that after 3 years of Covid (or thereabouts), I’ve been living a more reclusive life, than before. (Join the club do I hear you say?)
As those years have passed – and maturity increases (using such terminology is a way of avoiding the idea of old age) – I suddenly am more fully awake to how much more of the ‘rope’ of normality has slipped through our fingers. Like some released anchor plunging into the sea.
“What are we plunging into?” would be the question.
The world is embracing more and more abnormality. The tragedy is, regardless of how it is packaged ‘positively’ (as something to be desired), presented with words of man’s fallen reasoning – the new normal is the abnormal.
I’ve always been slightly fascinated by man’s inability to communicate. Communicate in a perfect way. So that I know exactly what you mean and you know exactly what I mean.
Nuances in each others communications, are missed by us all.
I may have written about this before – but I know by the odd comment I receive, purporting to agree with what I have written – that in fact, the person is not on the same ‘song sheet’ as I.
I noticed this lately when I commented on one person’s blog post. Asking in essence the name of their ‘god’.
The name and title of my Lord and my God is: ‘Jesus Christ The Lord.’ Acts 4/
Jesus is 11 “the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Notice the ‘no other name’ part. In my mind it is easily established that ‘no other’ means ‘no other’.
Not ‘no other plus – other no others’. Just plain simple ‘no other’. Not hard to grasp is it?
He – The Lord Jesus Christ is the Saviour (as in ‘no other’) – He came to give mankind – lost and at sea – drowning in sin – and in the sorrow it brings – a way back to intimacy with God.
There are many so called ‘gods’ but…I Corinthians 8/
5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.
Sometimes I think I prefer folks who disagree (maybe as in atheists or agnostics) – than those who think I am speaking their language – as though God is the god of all religions or new age philosophies.
It is my ‘duty’ as a Christian to embrace with respect all human beings. But I am also called to hold fast to what is good and true. I Thessalonians 5/
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
To test all things and the necessity to do so, tells me that not everything is acceptable and I am to reject all lies and embrace the Person who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. (John 14/6)
It may seem to be a pleasing and seemingly reconciliatory idea to embrace and love all, and their points of view, regardless of their religious beliefs or particular creed. But how is that possible when there is only one truth?
‘You have your truth and I have mine’, sounds worthwhile and agreeable.
But one and one will always be two.
We can be friends and show respect to each other, but I cannot agree with you if your truth says: one plus one is three.
Sorry – hope we will not fall out and reject each other as fellow human beings. But the fact is, we do not speak the same thing.
It may seem like we are on the same page – after all (we might reason) it’s all mathematics anyway – but no, sorry, we don’t agree.
I notice therefore, after this ‘reclusive’ time, that I seem to be coming to a greater realisation of how much the language used by Christian and non-Christian may sound increasingly similar, but in fact has basic fundamental differences which cannot be reconciled.
Pilot at the crucifixion of The Lord Jesus Christ said ‘What is truth?’
There – in front of him – stood the personification of all truth and he couldn’t see it, but nevertheless, had to admit to the perfection he also observed in The Christ. (…“I find no fault in Him at all). John 18/37:
Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all”.
Lines of communication are becoming increasingly blurred with the use of similar words but which do not have the same meaning.
Deception is increasing. Believing lies is becoming the increasing norm. Separating truth from error is becoming a bigger and bigger task and challenge.
Thank God for His Word – the purest and truest communication on earth.
My final illustration and example of this dilemma is the fact that I now need to say:
“When I speak of the Pure Word – I am referring to the Bible, the whole Bible and nothing but the Bible”.
All the above may grind/grate on the ‘pan-everything-ists’ (Pantheists) – as utter dogmatism – but I’m afraid dogmatically – one and one will always be two.