#HEAVEN, FOR SURE?

Preferences, perspectives and worldview's more self-enlightened (selfish) than community-enlightened (generous), are the primary force behind the seeming complexity of eradicating racism and healing the prejudice in our world; so much so that it actually powerfully consumes the person's heart! 

Have you ever met a person who was "somewhat prejudice"?  Probably not, and if you're thinking about your own "little" quirky particulars, you either justify or pass-off those things as "normal", or you go-along with society's "profiling culture" that lumps everybody into the same basket, if there are any struggles, similarities or issues that seem prevalent amongst a certain ethnic or cultural group, more than others.

So, what is nationality, ethnicity and culture anyways; and why is it important?

"Nationality" is the state of belonging to a particular nation.

"Ethnicity" is the state of belonging to a particular "social group" that has a common cultural or national tradition.

"Culture" is the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively.

Celebrating our "culture" use to mean or suggest that you had a certain orientation to your ethnic group's taste, which were collectively appreciated and valued.

From our definitions above, my "cultural preference" could mean that I connect on a particular issue with Asian men, who have similar interests in a certain technological  product line that a Caucasian female invented; which was actually manufactured by a African-American owned business, etc.

While we like to keep "tidy lines" around our 'race's particular preferences',  like defining "blackness" amongst ourselves as African-Americans, the futility of attempting to completely "define" one person by looking at another (within an ethnic group) is absolutely foolish; although our commonalities communicate the humanness none of us can deny!

It's "time out" for the blatant ignorance of indifference and prejudice towards our racial diversity as human beings, because the "pure genes" and twisted judgments that so many ethnocentrist's want to espouse, by evaluating other cultures according to their own preconceptions that originate in the standards and customs of their own culture; is simply blind, foolish, shortsighted and unreal.

But, what about the "professing Christian's heart", which should actually be purely devoted to the Lord's will and purpose, and also full of forgiveness, light, love, and peace -- especially towards or amongst the brethren!?!  Do "we" get a pass somehow for stubbornly holding prejudice in our hearts towards one another? Don't you dare be deceived..Of course NOT!

I'm not sure about anyone else, but I'm definitely fearful (godly reverence) of not properly representing and upholding God's Word by HIS grace, and when it comes to this volatile issue of racism and prejudice -- What do we do with I John 2:7-11?

Can we "add to" or "take away" from this particular passage, without placing ourselves in the dangerous posture of being heretical or of a reprobate mind; ignoring the very context and meaning of the passage, understanding that the implications are "eternal" in nature?

"Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes."  (1 John‬ ‭2:7-11‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

"Brethren, I write no new commandment to you" … "a new commandment I write to you": The commandment John wrote of was at the same time both old (in the sense that it was preached to them their whole Christian lives) and new (in the sense that it was called the "new commandment" by Jesus in John 13:34, who came to fulfill the law).

The new commandment to love that Jesus spoke of in John 13:34, was really new for several reasons. One of the most important reasons was that Jesus displayed a kind of love never seen before; a love we were to imitate.

The Cross of Jesus Christ points in all four directions, representing the encompassing of eternity past to eternity future, to show that the love of Jesus is without limitation or restriction..

• Wide enough to include every human being.
• Long enough to last through all eternity.
• Deep enough to reach the most guilty sinner.
• High enough to take us to heaven.

This is a new love, a love the world had never really seen before the finished work of Jesus took place on the cross.  Because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining: The new commandment of love is necessary because the darkness that marked humanity, especially the Gentiles, and occurred prior to the true light being illuminated through the finished work of Jesus Christ.

He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now: Previously in this chapter, John examined us according to the moral measure of our walk with God. Later he will examine us according to doctrine as a measure of our walk with God. Now he examines us according to our love for other Christians as a measure of our walk with God.  

Just as our relationship to sin and obedience is a measure of our fellowship with God, so also is our love for God's people. If we say that we are in the light yet hate our brother, then our claim to fellowship with the God who is light (1 John 1:5) is hollow. But the one who does love his brother shows that he abides in the light and is not stumbling.  

"It seems plain that the expression here is not the same as 'his neighbor,' seeing that St. John is writing to Christians, and treating of their fellowship with one another." (Alford). 

Sometimes it is easy to think, "Following Jesus would be easy if it weren't for all the Christians." And many, many Christians live as the walking wounded, crippled by the scars other Christians have inflicted on them. Yet this measure still stands. If we can't love each other, then we have no way to claim a real love for God. Our relationship with God can be measured by our love for other Christians.  

On the one hand, God is merciful in requiring this, because we are measured by how we love other Christians, not those who are not Christians. On the other hand, God gives us a particularly difficult measure, because we often- perhaps rightly- expect much more from our Christian friends and associates.  

But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness: The point is plain. If we lose love then we lose everything. There is nothing left. You can do all the right things, believe all the right truths, but if you do not love other Christians then all is lost. The three tests- moral, doctrinal, and love- all stand together, like the legs on a three-legged stool.  

It is all too easy for people to place "ministry" or "being right" above love in the body of Christ. We must do ministry, and we must be right, but we must do it all in love - if not in perfect actions, then following with proper repentance.  

Does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes: Knowing the importance that Jesus placed on our love for each other, John will go so far as to say that if we hate our brother, we are walking in darkness, and are unable to see- we have been blinded.  

Remember that hatred can also be expressed by indifference; true love will demonstrate itself for one another.  We can be sure that John himself lived this life of love, but he wasn't always this way. John himself learned love at this point, for early in his life he was known as one of the "sons of thunder." He once wanted to call down fire from heaven upon those who rejected Jesus (Luke 9:54).  

Everything that the Apostle John addresses his readers with, is really according to the measure of spiritual maturity that they possessed!

INTIMACY, MATURITY, and UNITY is the "calling card" of Christ's Remnant during the end-times! If we don't allow those empty spaces and places to be healed "in us", we are going to miss possessing the victory God had in mind, when HE fully released us through Christ's Redeeming Sacrifice that wiped away the guilt, the shame and the stain of all humanity's sin; no matter how any of us may feel justified in disliking, in hating or in despising the person we believe deserves such treatment.

If YOU and I are going to experience "heaven, for sure", we MUST clean up our acts and reposition our hearts through sincere repentance, so that God's Redemptive Plan of restoration and restitution "in and through us" manifest without issue!  WS-3

Walter L Smith III (WS-3)

Founder, Pure In Heart Int'l Ministries, Inc.

1027 Seventh St NW

Rochester, MN 55901

www.WS-3.com

(424)333-4047 (Mobile Office)

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