True Freedom

3/26/2004

Friday Afternoon, March 26, 2004

Answer to another city, about the sort of “christians” in their area—who don’t want any of their actions or decisions “questioned” by other Believers. Sokay. : )

Vouch: v.intr.

1. To give personal assurances; give a guarantee: vouch for an old friend’s trustworthiness.

2. To constitute supporting evidence; give substantiation: a candidate whose strong record vouches for her ability.

Hi Guys, : ) This is REALLY simple. Jesus spoke of “those the Father has given.” (For Jesus Himself, this number of “those the Father has given” did not include very many people around Him. Though He cared, and though He WEPT over Jerusalem, “THEY would not”—and thus, according to Jesus Himself, were not “those the Father had given” Him. He lost NONE of those. Likewise, Hebrews 13:17, 1Cor.12, Eph.4, 1Jn.1-3, Gal.6 and elsewhere make it clear that we will “GIVE AN ACCOUNT” for the souls of certain ones. “Jesus, this is what I did to help them. This was their soft response. Please credit their ‘love of the Light’ to them as Righteousness. I ‘vouch’ for them. I am willing to give an account for their souls. I know You had “given” them to me, and as with the heart of Moses, Stephen, Paul, and Jesus—I don’t want to come In without them.”

Contrast this with “I would have gathered them, but THEY would not.” Jesus could NOT “give an account for their souls” and they DEFINITELY (Biblically) were NOT amongst those “the Father had given Him”—of which He said, He “did not lose ANY.”

Here’s the Deal: Jesus builds HIS House with Wisdom. It is HIS House that Hell cannot prevail against. IF Jane and Jack and Fred and Elizabeth and that lil group of disConnected folks and someone’s mother and someone’s grandma all want to “do what’s right in their own eyes”—that is TOTALLY FINE. It’s simply that WE will not ever be willing to “give an account” for those who live carelessly and lawlessly and proudly and independently. GOD laid out the Way to Live together (Acts 2:42-47, 1Cor.12, Heb.3:12-14, 1Cor.5, Mat.18, Eph.3-4, etc—also read the “Convictions” booklet for “disagreements” amongst those that the Father HAS given you, because their obedience and love and loyalties are well-tested). Now, for those who DO “love the Light” (rather than run from it, because “their deeds are evil”) and are saved, we must “build the House with wisdom”. And, of course, ONLY those “the Father has given us” are obligated to US to live as God Commands, and work the details through with us in “the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace.” The others (the “broad road” is packed, Jesus said, with those who claim to be Christians, but are not—so this is not a surprise, in any event) can go do what they please, as they please, and we will only weep for their rebellion—but not in any way do anything to STOP them from living foolishly, if that is their eyes-wide-open choice. And, if they are for Real, that will become clear in time. In the meantime, (real life issue here) if a “babysitter” abuses one of their children, or their teens “fall through the cracks” into Hell, or their marriages are crushed under the weight of sin,—so be it. If we tried to help, but they “would not”—it is outside of the realm of our responsibility. Those things happen everyday all over, and all we can do is try.

The “freedom” to live independently and stubbornly and proudly and secretly is TOTALLY available to everyone, along with all of the automatic COSTS of this proud and independent and unBiblical form of powerless religion.

If you have understanding of, and love of your own biological children, you can surely understand that you must “interfere” at times with the actions of those “the Father has given us.” Only an “illegitimate” and “unloved” relationship would be so worthless to us that we would not “interfere” with their decisions and actions at times. Likewise, we may ONLY “interfere” with the dangerous choices of “those the Father has given us.” Everyone else is “on their own” (with some encouragement or warning, carefully timed and worded, at most) if they choose to build on sand. If we “would have gathered them as a hen gathers her chicks—but THEY would not”—as with even Jesus Himself, we can only weep for their stubborn and blinded choices. WE are ONLY able to build His House with Wisdom and by His Commands and Ways. If they want to “build” another way, they MAY. But not with us. If they want to claim they are Christians and do things “their own way” (we’ve all seen the fruit of THAT prideful and man-made agenda), they CAN, FREELY. But, we will NOT “associate” with them —other than to reach out to them, not affection or common Life (“fellowship”) with those who live in compromise. The Master has forbidden us to build according to the patterns of the world, and we will not. And thus, we are unwilling to “give an account for their souls.” They can do WHATEVER they want! Go for it! But, “not in HIS House.” Anything goes, total “freedom”—for anyone. But not in HIS House, or amongst us. WE will Build His Way.

We’ve all already tried THEIR way, and it is chaos and darkness and despair and proud, evil energy—man-made psycho-babble religion that destroys great percentages of the lives of those hiding there from Light. And yet they are not all innocent. Most who are blinded by it, and given over to it, are part of that intentionally, due to their own lusts and fears, their own ambitions and appetites. But, “at least they’re free”—right? Like the person who sleeps under the bridge is FREE! Sleeping in the cold, lack of food, lack of clothing, lack of protection, lack of true love, lack of growth. Freedom! Hallelujah! No job to show up at, no responsibilities, no burdens or anyone to please or answer to. No alarm clock, no stressful people, no anything! FREE! Okay, fine. If THAT is freedom to YOU….. you’ve made your bed. Lie in it until you REALLY are willing to “pay the price” of true Freedom. And that is a matter of the HEART, not geography. But, He offers A MORE EXCELLENT WAY! The Way of the Cross, to the Freedom beyond the Grave. “His Intent is NOW, through Ekklesia, to make known His manifold Wisdom!” And so it is, in the Body of Christ.

Love, mike

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