The party

For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.

This is Paul in Galations. He is speaking about himself. Somehow law was blocking His serving of God. In some ways law blocks all of us on this planet from serving God.

How many times have you mentioned Christ to someone and their first reaction is to tell you that they are good, they have tried hard etc.

How many times have you felt guilty toward god or unworthy as you look at your own life and compare it to what it "should" be.

The kicker is the law is a good thing. That's what is so seductive about it. It mirrors what a spirtually actualized human should look like. Its a picture of human nature as God intended..not murdering, gossiping, overeating yada yada yada.

But law as a way of being in relationship with God is darnright destructive and is the ultimate temptation. Why is it the ultimate temptation? Because we think if we get it right (doing good) we will be able to control our God. We will be wise in our own eyes..knowing good from evil....(said the snake to Adam and Eve).


So what does Paul mean "he died to the law"..? How do we die to the law so we might serve God in Spirit? Well paul tells us over and over in His epistles that we have died with Christ. In Jesus death and ressurection..we went into the grave with Him as a race and were released from all the codes and commands and precepts that have always dogged us. The whole human race was then raised with him as a new creation. We now live by spirit not flesh and law. We live in a relationship of absolute trust that the relationship is unbreakable.

What the heck does that mean? It means there is now for ever more no condemannation forever of us (Romans 8:1) with no strings attached. So we live freely for God..not condemned for our faults..not trying to be good and win favor. We live with our REAL life in Christ hidden from us and we walk faith.

As I read this post I still think how would anybody really understand this..and would anybody really care? Nobody is really interested in this stuff death and resurrection stuff.

Well all I can say is this: God has given the entire planet a day off work..with pay, with no strings attached. This day is eternal and nothing ..nothing can screw it up. God has sworn by Himself (no one higher to swear by)..that he is not taking back his blanket pardon. He invites us all to His party (my blog picture is at a party..my favorite thing) for free and for nuthin!

Most of us are like the elder brother on the porch after the Father throws the whoring, drinking,inheritance squandering prodigal son a party. We are too stupid to just drop all our protests and just come in to the party and have a drink on God. There must be a string attached. There is a string. You give up all your pretences of being either a good boy or a bad boy..and you walk in increduosly. A butler brings you a drink and tells you this party goes on forever..look there is your great grandmother dancing with Abraham Lincoln!

I think what holds Christians back from enjoying the party is that we still live in these dying sin infested decaying bodies. Yes we are a new creation (says Paul)..eternal beings saved and clothed in Christ. However we look and often act like the same old Scotts, Betty's and Harrys we always were. We feel lust and anger and jealousy and fear and greed and we often act on these impulses. We are in an in between state. We are saved and raised..sitting with Christ in the heavenly places..but sin and death is alive in our lives, yet the party rages on. What I do is stay at the party no matter what. I accept my place at the party table because he said I belong and invited me in. I enjoy this party..despite my sins, my fears, my unworthiness etc.

The unforgiveable sin is to not accept the invitation..to shrink back and say surely there is a catch or a price too high to pay. Well there is a price too high to pay to get a seat at this hilarious banquet. Jesus paid that price in His death. His sacrifice has been made and you are in! So don't spurn the Spirit... A nice fella invites you to a party with the best caviar, cabernet wine and the Beatles in concert. Don't say you don't deserve it, your busy, you have to go and get ready (the number one excuse)..just walk in. Sure its crazy..surely someone will say "what are you doing here?" But remember if God is for you..who can be against you? He who did not spare his only son..will he not with him give you all things?

Lets have a drink.