The story...
The speaker offered a new way of thinking within a good life: "LIVE for today; PLAN for tomorrow; and THINK on eternity." This frame-of-mind seemed to be true with "face validity" - the kind of motto that a wise man might live by. So, I pondered the motto and shared it's meaning with 100's of people; yet, I didn't really internalize it. Why? Maybe I didn't spend most of my time living in the present reality and my thoughts tended to camp out more in the past or the immediate future. Now I can more clearly imagine what it might be like 10,000 years from now in the next life: "You where one of the people that our Lord Jesus the Christ purchased from that sin dominated old world? Wow! What was it like?"
Iniquity may be defined as a person's actions that don't match up with their thoughts, inner-man, or heart. Iniquity can lead us into a mindset characterized by shame and guilt for what what we've done and expect to do in the future. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, having paid the penalty for both our past and future iniquity, can lead a man to be truly free - Free from shame and guilt both within our own psyche and, most importantly, at the final judgement day of God.
How would this motto and perspective best work out in the only church in town? It's likely that their behavior would exhibit strengths, weaknesses, character flaws and occasional fruit that they seem to be gifted with. They'd be doers who uniquely work out what they know to be true about themselves and God in the present. Together they'd be better equipped to move forward toward a right path within God's will. Success, despite their flaws, would bring glory to their God whom they serve.
Just for today...
"The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak." This quote and the following painting are from an abstract impressionist painter Hans Hofmann. Thank you Hans.
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