A New Covenant Partner

A New Covenant Partner While here in Venezuela we have been studying 2 Peter, it's quite a letter I must say. Peter is reminding us to walk in the way of the Lord. But as 'doers' of the world, so many times our motives and sinfulness can prevent us from pursuing such characteristics Peter mentions because we waste so much time mulling over our motives when we should just be acting out of faith because by God's grace alone are we able to even pursue godliness.  So many of us wrestle with the idea of 'works', everyone usually falls into one of two categories. A: you believe you attain favor and salvation by way of your 'good works' or B: you do nothing and remain idle throughout your life believing your actions no longer matter because you're covered by Jesus' blood. We often drift between the two, and are afraid to 'make every effort' as Peter says in chapter one. But the truth is, pursuing godliness, wanting to be more like Christ isn't a bad thing. It's something that Christ Himself said we should strive for!! The truth here that I am realizing is this: we walk in obedience because it gives God Glory and Honor. It's not about what I gain from being self-controlled, acting with virtue or faith or even loving the least lovable person in the world, it's not about ME! It's my about what I benefit from, it's about what I can give back to the Lord because f His great mercy and grace, because He alone is worthy of all of me. Okay so... That's not even what I wanted to blog about haha.. So if you're not bored yet.. I guess keep reading.. So chapter 2 is a doosey.. chalk full of warnings that Peter give by authority of the Holy Spirit and the Prophetic Word of God. So I'm not going to sit here giving you a list of everything you shouldn't be doing but rather want to zero in on the contextual value of one verse. .. "for it would have been better for them never to have known the way of   righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them" That itself is pretty heavy, and I think the question than arises,'can someone lose their salvation after have had it'... Such a weighty question, and one that I think any follower of Jesus Christ wrestles with at some point in time in their lives... And now I'm not going to get into a theological debate here, though it's something I'm growing to love (theology.. Not debating..ha) But rather.. Want to talk about the 'act of entering into a new covenant with a new covenant partner' at the time of conversion from darkness and into God's glorious light. And I'm talking about a marriage covenant here.. Many times in Gods's word do we see evidence of this "for your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His Name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth He is called...". Isaiah 54 Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord has their own 'wedding day' with our Beloved, we are the Bride of Christ. The old covenant with the destruction and death are abolished with one overflowing with steadfast faithfulness , scandalous Grace and a promise of relentless love. But, the wedding day is just the beginning. Just as there is more to marriage between man and women here on earth than just the day two become, so is it with our marriage to Christ. One must examine the life lived after the decision in enter into such a commitment is made, and therein lies the authenticity of ones true meaning of 'i do'.  Divorce is consuming and ravishing marriages around the world today, people treat the most sacred covenant as if it were any old lay promise ready to be broke at the slightest sign of trial, struggle. People everyday decide they have fallen out of love..  Let me tell you something friends, God will NEVER fall out of love with you, Romans 8 tells us that NOTHING can separate us from the love of Christ. (if you've never read Romans 8 I recommend doing that..now perhaps?) But the reality is there is a choice on our part. The marriage covenant is not a one way street, we are either moving toward Christ, or we are moving away from Him. But moving toward Christ doesn't mean that wr have it all together. Sometimes wr are sprinting with all we have into His arms and there are days that we are crawling on our hands and knees, barely getting by. There is only in or out. There is no middle ground here.  And so again we are asking. Can we than lose our salvation.. Well this is where I am at with this most uncomfortable topic.. If one truly enters into a sacred marriage covenant with the Maker of all, the Relentless Lover, change is inevitable in their lives, they simply won't remain the same because of love of such stature ravished the heart in such a way one would never, even of they tried, be able to remain the same.  But just as some people enter into marriage here in earth without the intentions of remaining faithful through thick and thin, who 'fall out of love' when the going gets tough, I believe people can 'enter' into such a 'covenant' with God.. Which isn't really a covenant at all...  so though in this convent with the Lord, we are the adulterer, we are the  unfaithful and the liar and the cheat, God's love pierces to the heart of the  matter and rescues us from our own demise. He is our Forever Faithful Husband, to those who have said 'I do' So I think that's where I am going to leave it...  'it is no good asking for a simple religion. After all, real things are not simple' - C.S. Lewis