Diplomatic Immunity!

Years ago, when I was first introduced to Christ For The Nations worship, there was a song I really enjoyed titled "No Eye Has Seen."  The song was an exact quote of I Corinthians 2:9 set to music.  The song was intimate, made you glad you were saved and reminded you that God has good things in store for us.  However the song only tells half the story.

But as it is written:
      “ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
      Nor have entered into the heart of man
      The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

The Bible continues:

I Corinthians 2:10, 12 "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God."  "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God."

The Bible says, "since the beginning of the world" (Is. 64:4) man has not had clue what good things God has in store for us.  In fact in I Co. 2:8 says if they did know they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. 

However, as a believer He has revealed all things freely given to us by God.  This where it gets interesting.  If God has revealed these things then where is the victory in the lives of believers?  Where is the joy, unspeakable and full of glory?  Where is the demonstration of the power of God?

I believe that it comes down to one thing.  Understanding the we are Ambassadors for Christ. (II Co. 5:20)  Or we could take it from the perspective of being pilgrims on the earth.  (I Pt. 2:11)  In either case imagine living in one of the most morally deprived, oppressive nations in the world.  However,  you are not a normal citizen you are the Ambassador of the United States to that nation.  While you live there you live under different laws.  You are not subject to the oppression of that government.  Your laws are those of the Nation you represent.  As long as you remember this you will be able to successfully represent the United States to this nation. 

However, if you forget who you represent and the fact that the entire government of the United States is behind you; it's possible that you might start to come under the oppression of that nation.  It may effect your mood, you may make decisions out of fear, you might find yourself imitating the culture, etc. 

In my opinion this very thing happens to believers.  God reveals great things to us (i.e. ~ Definition of Sozo ~ salvation, wholeness, healing, rescue, restoration.).   However, when circumstances happen in our lives contrary to God's revealed truth, we are more influenced by the culture in which we live or our past experience.  We forget that we live here under different laws because we represent a different kingdom.  (I could spend quite a bit of time building my case but in an attempt to keep this blog short - I am just going to quote one verse. "while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."  II Co. 4:18

If we are going to be all that God has called us to be and represent Him correctly. . . We have to wrestle with the decision. . . Either God's Word is true or are circumstances are.  Jesus lived a life of miracles proving that God's Word always trumps circumstances.

I'll end with this:  As I am trying to express.  If you allow your culture and/or circumstances to define truth, you will never understand all the things God has freely given us.  A carnal mind cannot comprehend these things.  They are to great. 

I Corinthians 2:13-16 " These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. ¹⁴ But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. ¹⁶ For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ."