For they shall see God

Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
I like the explanation that pure of heart means single minded in PURSUIT of Christ likeness. That's why I feel that one is where he is supposed to be when he is moving toward that goal; not only when he has attained it. That can't happen in this life. To be within God's will, to me, at this point, means single minded, pure of heart, focused on Christ. Also, I've recently entertained the notion that Christ didn't just die for me, but also for Himself, because that is the only way that I could be brought back into the relationship for which I was created. Our having been created for a relationship with Him predates our need for salvation, therefore His role as friend predates His role as savior. Doesn't that mean that His plan for our salvation is just a means to an end that is to bring us back to friendship with Him, and that His friendship with us is the ultimate goal. Past tense salvation (being saved from hell) is just the first step. Our growing relationship with Him (present tense salvation) is the goal. So many are just locked into past tense salvation and never get to know God. That's why so many are concerned with not doing the wrong thing, instead of "doing the right thing". It's not just semantics. It's a matter of heart and motives. One who is stuck at past tense salvation remains selfish; his desire for Salvation is only fear of hell. And while it is of Ultimate importance, living with the purpose of staying out of hell keeps our focus on ourselves and avoiding eternal damnation. Living victorious in Christ means that our desire for Salvation starts us on a growing friendship with God (his plan all along). This takes us beyond that first step and into a freedom that causes us to forget about us and strive only for Him. Then we do the right things for the right reasons. Like David, we may still do the wrong things, often even, but they are less detrimental and debilitating to our walk because our sense of morality was not focused in avoiding them. If I walk with the sole purpose of not falling down, when I fall down I will have failed. But if I walk with the purpose of getting somewhere, when I fall down, I just get up and keep going. I've not failed if I get to where I'm going. Trying not to do the wrong thing is a distraction to God's will for us. If our focus is on doing right, then wrong is merely a mess-up, not a failure; and like David, we can trust God, accept His forgiveness, get past it and go on toward Him.
Being victorious in Christ does not mean that we are enjoying having been victorious. (Paul says, "not that I've attained, but I press on toward the mark of the high calling of Christ"), but are in the process of being victorious each day of our lives.

©2003 by rod lewis