Every human being has the image of God in him that brings good thoughts and desire to do good to others. But there are certain individuals who are continuously focused on doing evil and bringing harm to someone. God being good, does not put evil in hearts, yet this darkness takes charge over our lives. The image and the light of God is thus obscured, turning us away from Him.
Why is God interested in mankind? David praised God about His love for His creation, despite the evil perpetually reigning in the heart of man (Psalm 8:4). God created man with two elements; one, the earth, which was formed into a body and then God breathed into him the spiritual part. Since breath cannot be seen, we do not give it much thought till something chokes us and hinders our breathing. God gave into the pile of dust, ‘the breath of life; and man became a living being’ (Genesis 2:7). Thus, man has an earthly element and a heavenly one from God and is connected to both realms. The earthly life is in the body and the heavenly life is in the soul. The earthly part connects him to all that was created on the earth, while enjoying all the benefits of that. The heavenly part connects him with God through his soul and spirit.
God warned Adam about the result of his eating of ‘the tree of the knowledge of good and evil’ (Genesis 2:17). The declared result was a sure death. After eating the ‘Forbidden Fruit’ Adam lived 930 years in contrast to God’s warning of sure death on the same day of sinning (Genesis 5:3-4). However, before Adam and Eve were forced out of the Garden and from the presence of God, God made tunics of skin for them and clothed them. With this the heavenly glory of God that was in them was covered, though not entirely removed. They were rendered incapable of connecting with God while God naturally could. This was their spiritual death while their bodies continued to live for a long time after that. The spark of God’s light was there inside them but could not shine bright.
The desire to connect with God caused Cain and Abel to bring their offerings for God to a specific place (Genesis 4:3-4). This was a deliberate attempt by the two to reach out to God to worship Him. God does not control anyone but has given us free will to do what we want. Cain wanted to be seen better than his brother and since he could not control him, killed him. This desire to control others stems from the devil who had lured Eve into sin. The first organised attempt for this was by Nimrod, who ‘began to be a mighty man on earth’ (Genesis 10:8-10). He set up his kingdom from Babel to Assyria and Nineveh. After this the next step was to reach God with their own efforts and the construction of a tower, ‘whose top is in the heavens’ was started (Genesis 11:4). The godly part in a man has always urged him to reach out to God and in every society, however primitive it may seem, some form of God is worshipped.
Some, who are more focussed on the Divine and eager to get closer to God are called by God into a closer relationship. Abram was called by God to separate himself from the false worship of his family and move to a different place (Genesis 12:1-3). This move carried a great blessing with it and Abram moved in obedience. Moses was brought up by Pharaoh’s daughter in the palace but he decided to help his people and ended up killing an Egyptian man for troubling them (Exodus 2:12). He attempted to help in his own power and strength but failed and had to flee Egypt. God called out to him from the midst of the Burning Bush to send him back to Egypt to lead his people into freedom from slavery (Exodus 3:10).
David was the youngest son of Jesse and had seven brothers elder to him. As per Jewish legend, Jesse wanted no more children and David was despised by him and put to the lowly task of caring for the sheep. Prophet Samuel, at God’s command, came to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as king of Israel and all the elder sons were presented by Jesse, but rejected by God. David was loved by his mother, Nitzevet, who taught him to love God and, in the wilderness, he would sing praises to God. He is called the ‘sweet psalmist of Israel’ for the great Psalms that he wrote. The spark of love of God in him was ignited by his mother and God blessed him.
God’s apparent purpose in creating mankind is to lead them into a close relationship with Him. It is not that He was lonely but it is an expression of His love. Man turned away from Him in sin but since God does not change, His love for the fallen man also does not change. God in His mercy and grace wants to give His best to His creation and the proof of that is in the excellence of the creation. His Son is the physical representation of His love and the same love is seen in the Son through His sacrifice on the cross. ‘God is love’ and expression of His love brings Him glory and that too on such undeserving people, as us (1 John 4:8). His desire is to restore His image and likeness in each one of us to get us back into that close relationship with Him. It is all from Him and not due to anything good and deserving in us.
Treasure in pots of clay – After sin, Adam learnt from God the resultant curse of that, ‘In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you shall return’ (Genesis 3:19). Adam was formed from the earth and our body is made up of various elements of the earth. When we receive and believe in Lord Jesus as our Saviour, we are united with God and become children of God (John 1:12). With that the spiritual element in us, is lit up to be a fire within us which starts burning up the evil in us, to refine us. The message of forgiveness of sins, salvation and eternal life in and with Lord Jesus is the most valuable gift that anyone can be given. This is the treasure stored up in our earthly bodies that will perish after death, till one day we shall be raised up into the clouds to be with Lord Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
This treasure has various specific elements – The first part of the treasure is God Himself, with whom we are reconnected through forgiveness of sins and cleansing with the blood of His Son shed on the cross. The same God who called everything into existence by the power of His Word is in us. With this we get access to God in prayer for His blessings and His strength to work in us to face the trials and temptations that the devil brings before us. Moses assured the Israelites of blessings in obedience to God for ‘He will set you high above all nations of the earth’ (Deuteronomy 28:1-2). Once God is with us, we can also be a blessing for others.
The second, is the Saviour Lord Himself for the light that God filled our hearts with is, ‘the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ’ (2 Corinthians 4:6). The light that shines in our hearts leads us to greater blessings. Lord Jesus defined ‘eternal life’ as the knowledge of ‘the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent’ (John 17:3). We were overwhelmed by the darkness of sin and evil and subject to the slavery of the devil but Lord Jesus as our Redeemer paid the full penalty for us through His death on the cross. This light in us helps us walk in His ways of righteousness and be transformed into His image. We become so filled with this light to be ‘light of the world’ (Matthew 5:14).
The third is the Word of God which is God’s Instruction Manual for us to live in this, His creation. Moses gave the Israelites the secret of success before they went into the Promised Land. They were to ‘listen to the statutes and the judgements which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you’ (Deuteronomy 4:1). Apostle John identified Lord Jesus as the Word and God from before the very beginning of creation and nothing came into being without Him (John 1:3-4). Further, that ‘in Him was life, and the life was the light of men’. The life force breathed into the pile of dust to create man was this light of Lord Jesus. Apostle John explains this, ‘All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist’ (Colossians 1:16-17). The life in, through and for Him in us is the treasure of His Word.
The fourth is the Holy Spirit in us to ‘teach us all things and remind us of the teachings of Lord Jesus (John 14:26). The darkness around us causes fear of the unknown but the Holy Spirit in us is ‘the Spirit of power, love and self-control’. We are equipped by God to walk in His light and power to overcome every situation with self-control.
The fifth is the assurance of eternal life and a prepared place for us in heaven where we will be taken by our Lord Himself (John 14:2-3). Apostle Paul has confirmed this, for our citizenship is in heaven’ and this gives us a legal right to claim a place there, in light of these promises. Such great is this treasure in us and not because of anything in us, but it is a gift of God in His mercy and grace. The more we share this treasure with others, the more it grows. So we must reach out to as many people as we can, to help them receive these same blessings.
Can we not use or misuse this treasure in us? Apostle Paul reveals the love of the Father for us for He ‘has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ’ (Ephesians 1:3). All that we will ever need to live a blessed life here on earth has already been provided. It is presumed that before birth God prepares a box filled with all the gifts that He desires to give during that person’s life on earth. We receive these as we grow and walk in His ways and continue to receive throughout our lives. But many people live in rebellion to Him and only that which is for all, reaches them. We do see many evil people having everything, but we are never aware of the deep pains they undergo. Probably only someone like Apostle Paul or John or Peter would come close to receiving all that was decreed while an average believer gets only about 50 to 70%.
Why do we miss or not use the blessings? The Resurrected Lord declared, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth’ (Matthew 28:18). The Saviour Lord has all authority as Son of God and is seated at the right hand of God, the place of strength and power (Hebrew 1:3). Despite this, He ‘makes intercession for us’ before the Father in heaven (Romans 8:34). He assures us to do what we ask ‘so that the Father may be glorified in the Son’ (John 14:13). His sole desire is to glorify the Father in everything, in His intercession, in answering our prayers or even in His sufferings on the earth as our Saviour. At no time did He ever attribute anything to Himself but said, ‘the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do’ (John 5:19).
The main reason for our missing out on properly receiving and using the blessings already given to us is our efforts on self-glorification. We tend to take claim for the answered prayers, whereas it never is in us. The moment we start walking in humility in His light, as His torch-bearer, He fills us with more and more of His light.
The second is doubt and unbelief. We are well aware of the Word and God’s promises and do everything exactly in that manner. But then doubt comes in and we start looking for other alternatives. How many people we see who are visibly good believers but wearing many particular stones in rings on their fingers as advised by the fortune tellers. It is not that they do not believe in the Lord but they want to remove any chance of failure, not realising that this is the key to failure. What God has decreed will come to pass and the only One who can change that, is He Himself and none else.
Third is boasting and pride. Apostle Paul’s assertion of the treasure being put by God in earthen vessels is about our unworthiness. The only reason for anything good in us is from the Lord and He does it in His grace and mercy.
Fourth, is spiritual blindness –The devil prevents us from receiving the blessings in two ways; first, by blinding us from the truth of the Word and we refuse to accept the truth (2 Corinthians 4:4). Second, by creating unbelief through repeatedly reminding us of our past sins. He tries to paint us in our own sights as the most unworthy persons to ever receive anything from God.
Five, inadequate and poor relationship – Without an active prayer life, we cannot bond with God and expect anything. Prayer is an expression of our faith in Him and His love towards us. Also, it is not about getting our way but presenting our way, with submission to do His will and walk in His ways.
Our Lord is our shield and ‘no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly’ (Psalm 84:11). He makes us upright by cleansing us with His blood after forgiving our sins. God has done all that not because of anything in us but in His grace and mercy. We have to submit and receive and live in line with that.
All those who remain immersed deep in their grief and broke-ness of soul, despite their best efforts to escape that, are called out by God to be filled with strength and power. We do not earn this by doing something for Him but receive all blessings in humility and surrender. This is not a passive, laid back state but actively seeking Him. We are perishable vessels of clay, that are doomed to perish, but when we turn to Him eternal life and to live abundantly here is definitely ours!
