A contradiction? Neigh, I say, a clarification.

The theologians and biblical scholars will sternly point out that no scriptures in the Bible are contradictory.  There is the "faith versus works" pseudo-controversy(as a Theology student, my entire class wrote essays about why faith and works were not at odds, the doctrines of Paul and James, respectively).

Take this for example.

"If God is with us, who could be against us?"

"We are slain all the day long for the sake of Christ."

"We are more than conquerors."

It seems we're protected, maybe?  Not protected?  At the mercy of an enemy?  Or as in the book of Job, under a "hedge of protection" administered by God.

Such arguments are cheap, no matter the source material--and inevitably we ignore the truth or the context and substitute with cheap points--rhetorically not going to the jewel chest, but to the inconspicuous brown paper bag.

"..more than conquerors.."  borderless emissaries of Christ.

"..slain all the day long.." we face tribulation, as even Paul had the thorn in the flesh.

"..who could be against us..." Satan, and those with darkened hearts or darkened understanding--in other words....

a part of the population of the earth that is yet to be saved by the Gospel message--in the early spectrum, this is the slayer....

"....all the day long..."

A world that doesn't understand and doesn't want to understand, in the earthly realm, is the adversary.

Predicatment of Temperament.

It was the message all along, that we strive to grab hold of a closer relationship with God, even as Paul said, an apostle, "not that I have attained...". 

Its ongoing, this thing, "sanctification", maturation in belief, growing in faith.

Not quite road rage it was the other day, but a cause that precipitated some salty language in the vehicle.  Got mad; temper stove up.

Immediately after the words came out of the mouth, embarrassed and ashamed at the lack of self-control that would cause a lot of composure in my person.  There was one mistake by another which costed me inconvenience.

My task would be to forgive, and if possible, help the offender.

But what did I do?  I popped-off verbally like a cherry bomb.  I was ashamed, and all the while, I could feel the neurochemicals retracting back to a more calm setting, the anger melting away.

"..not that I have attained..."

Not perfect, I am not perfect at all, but working towards being a better emissary of the Lord, working towards my own barrel of hair and so forth, my own turmoil of a sin nature inherited.

"...but I press on towards the high calling...."

Remember the cause for hope; pray for those in harm's way.  We are not leaders of nations, but humble people--let us exalt in God.

as a voice calling out in the wildnerness: John the Baptist.

An ancient version of imposter syndrome, they put the question to him, by whose authority did he baptize....

He was a sort of "mountain man", in a camel-hair cloak, hanging-out by the river, proclaiming the Lord God.  "Why, John?"  "Who told you to do that?"  "Are you worried about getting sued?"

"Not of my own works, but of my Father, in heaven, from whom comes every good thing."

It was to repent of sin, and later to confess, shed sin, and ask forgiveness, as of the ministry of Jesus.

He worked through the Father, and the Father worked through him; he told them of the Father, and called them to a new way.  He was a pony, the color of the sun, and ours, Christians, not because he said so, but because he brought us the love and forgiveness of our Lord.

And in our hearts, we chose him, but culturally, what of the other lay people?  Was he an Orenthal James Simpson?

He was a menial, living a life of self-denial in service to the ministry, like a glorified administrative assitant, and still, despite his personal sacrifices, they questioned.  This should make it evident enough that those of us who have a "lay person" life are more convenient targets for questions and doubts.

In his service, there was not just he mark of a man devoted to our cause, but the mark of a lesser than perfect man, accepted of God.  

Not made perfect, but valued.  We fall so often into a trap of false-righteousness, a sort of personal security and pride, a trapping of reputation, and we forget: but not as I would, as he would--we are worms and the Lord is our apple.  We are plain enough and unappealing on our own: we need the cheddar cheese, grilled onions and bacon that is Father Son and Holy Spirit.  The only way.

Lest we forget the love and forgiveness of God: the hope, the mercy, the sacrifice of Christ.

"O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people."

the visible christ.

Being a Christian is something about seeing shades of Christ in anyone, anywhere.

May Christ continually reveal himself to you everyday;  if not through your own kindness, then maybe through the words and actions of others around you.

Sam Bankman Fried and Kingdom Economics.

Billions looted from his own company.

We have Christ's seventy times seven sacrificial forgiveness.

We have Pastor George's hundredfold return.

We have Christ feeding the Five Thousand.

The larder fed the prophet from the bottom of the barrel, and from then onwards, the woman and boy never went hungry.

Call it a ripple effect, or the butterfly effect, how things compound: how the echo carries, the savings account builds interest, inflation creeps.

Sam Bankman Fried could take one customer's loaves and fishes, say enough for one or two, and turn it into a luxury yacht or a summer home in some exotic locale.  And how?  Process.  Mass processing, batch-processing of thousands of individual customers.

He wanted what they had.

It was compulsion, maybe, just as Solomon had stacked riches in many forms only to later find that it didn't matter much, after all, after the time was wasted.  He was a Matthew McCechny of old, finding fame and wealth only to discover that he had only his time to make some use of, and not money or yachts which ultimately brought no enjoyment.

The modern kind of void: not Victor Frankl In Search Of A Soul, but something conditioned in the modern world of creeping inflation and stock valuations, the growth-at-any-cost and pay-as-you-go accounting.  Why, modern economics mimics the hungry little phenomenon of inflation.

Some would tell the story of the Dream Home that they pray for.  First renting and somewhat poor, then undergoing payments on the next level, until finally, what for the time passes as a dream home and took-up cash on the barrelhead, without any sort of payments.

Increase.

But look back at Christ and forgiveness.

A bit of sacrifice, it is, to let your brother slap your face seventy times seven times.  Its a hard lesson that few master; nevermind the churches rarely stand full, but even the remnant there as it is hasn't quite pulled the lesson sufficiently.

That even the sacrifice ripples and compounds, from Christ's sacrifice until today.

It's like the fields, were there are gradients of invasive foliage: the old tales of Britain without trees, or the scrub-oaks, things like ivy, or even viruses and things.  Man, himself, even, a kind of scourge on the earth that multiplies, given the right environmentals.

And the church.  There was one.  Then Twelve.  So on.  And from there the message was commanded to be taken across the globe.  Why, some even say that the true believer himself is only flock to Christ, but to the layman, the believer is a pastor, a product evangelist of love and mercy.

A classic pyramid scheme of joy, peace, hope and mercy.  Stuffing envelopes and flim-flamming to the betterment of everyone.

Merry Christmas, 2023.

"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." -Isaiah 60:1

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." -Luke 2:14

mysticism: joy and heaven.

Joy: the reflection or residue of God within us.

As if that were not mystical enough, we are told that heaven is the perfected reflection of Earth, in the eyes of say, a sage.