Christmas Message – Life’s Race – A Race of Love

The World teaches us to chase after the ‘rat race of materialistic things’.

God’s Word only teaches us to ‘chase after a race of Love’.

Example, Verse in Image and Verses below too:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;” – apostle Paul (2 Timothy 4:7, NASB)

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.” – apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 9:24, NASB)

The Scary Question

‘What if you were not loved by someone you loved but were merely being used for their convenience or advantage?’

Reply

It doesn’t matter as Christ taught us ‘not to resist and evil person even’ (Matthew 5:39) including ‘loving our enemies’ (Matthew 5:44) and thus by practising so, we get to Fulfill these Blessed Commands of our Loving Lord which are Least Observed because ‘it sounds silly to the world to do so when there is no gain on our side’.

Conclusion

No matter what, if ‘you love truly’, ‘Love Wins as God is Love & He will Live in us’.

“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” – apostle John (1 John 4:16, KJV)

P/S: Life’s Question – The Weight of the Heart is ‘how much have we Loved like Christ’.

So, the only question which matters in life is this:

‘Who Loved more?’ – God Sees that ‘only’.

Verses:

“Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.” (Proverbs 21:2, NASB)

“For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 7:47, NASB)

Is that being ‘Wise’?

Yes. As Christ Loved us ‘though he knows that we all fall short of the Perfection of His Love too’ (Verse below) and hence we ought to ‘Follow Christ Likewise’ too in this aspect as much as we are able by God’s Grace (1 Corinthians 11:1):

“But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.” (John 2:24 – 25, NASB)

P/S 2: Christmas – Can a Christian Celebrate it?

Christmas is not Written as a Celebration in the Bible.

Why?

The New Testament did not introduce New Feasts etc. simply because Lord Jesus Christ has Come in Flesh and thus there is no need for any of the symbolic things to be more significant than the actual Substance which is of Christ Alone.

Verses:

“Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day— things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.” – apostle Paul (Colossians 2:16 – 17, NASB)

Thus there is Freedom in Certain Practices (e. g. Celebrating Christmas) for Christians as the New Testament Verses below allow for it ‘Generally’ as long as such Practices do NOT contradict ‘any other Verses’:

“One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.

He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.

I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil;

For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.

So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.

The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.” – apostle Paul (Romans 14:5 – 6, 14, 16, 18 – 19, 22, NASB)

Context for Selective Choice of Verses from Romans 14 above?

I Chose the ‘General Principle Verses’ which illustrates the argument above as ‘it is Written’.

But isn’t the ‘Law’ (“Torah”) eternal and cannot be changed?

No! God can change His Law according to the New Covenant and His Fulfillment of Its Purpose, Verse:

“For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.” – Anonymous (Hebrews 7:12, NASB)

But the above Verse Speaks in the ‘Context of Change in Priesthood aspect only and not General Regulations, right?’

Yes, but here’s another Verse below which approves this Principle (as God Alone Decides this Change as it is Written in New Testament Verses):

“since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.” – Anonymous (Hebrews 9:10, NASB)

Or in another Translation,

“They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings–external regulations applying until the time of the new order.” – Anonymous (Hebrews 9:10, NIV)

Conclusion

A Christian may or may not celebrate Christmas to ‘honor Christ’ (so, these things are allowed as a ‘personal choice’).

Free Will – How about the Free Will of Man?

The “Free Will of man” only determines a part of his position being least/greatest (rewards & inheritance too) in His Kingdom (Matthew 5:19) and also whether or not he comes after afterlife Judgment first (Hebrews 9:27, John 5:24).

Regardless, “God’s Mercy” will Triumph over Rejoicingly and end any afterlife Judgment Sentences be it those present now at Hades or in the Lake of Fire eventually (James 2:13) where “His Church” (‘the Perfected Bride’) together with “His Holy Spirit” will call out ‘Reconciliation from the Lake of Fire post the Judgment endured by some first (the ‘thirsty ones’ who endure their ‘part’ in the Lake of Fire first – Revelation 21:8 as they ‘reap what they have sown first – Galatians 6:7’) as Revelation 22:17 & Revelation 21:6 Prophesies Beautifully toward the Glorious God ‘Making All [Created] things’ to be ‘New Again’ (Revelation 21:5) being “All in All” Creation in the end (as Prophesied Generally in 1 Corinthians 15:24 – 28 including toward His Enemies too).

Truly, Lord Jesus Christ (the “Merciful One”) is the Savior of the World (1 John 4:14)!