Synthesis (Cont)
The only way to work in union with God is to allow the Spirit of Christ—the Holy Spirit—who lives inside us to control our lives. Hence we should operate from “inside out.” Adoring contemplation of God provides the ideal forum for this all-important personal intimacy with God. Having the mind of Christ makes you hate what God hates and love what God loves.
Adoring contemplation infuses into our hearts a holy Fear of God.
The awesome benefits from fear of God are:
• It enables us to obey even in the most difficult times.
• It moves us to say “no” to sin and to depart from evil.
• It manifests itself in a wholesome dread of God’s holy displeasure and wrath.
• It provides the necessary perspective for God’s people to reverence and honour God.
• It has a sanctifying effect on God’s people.
• It causes us to serve God with a sober single-mindedness that enables us by faith to enter into God’s promises.
•It is accompanied by assurance and unspeakable spiritual comfort for God’s people.
God has also promised to bless and honour all those who fear Him with riches, honour, life, protection from death, provisions for daily needs and long life regardless of what happens in the world around them. He also promises those who fear Him fatherly love and compassion, faithfulness and goodness to their children.
Conclusion
To live effectively, we must keep our eyes on Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is our example of trusting God, of commitment to His will, of prayer, of overcoming temptation and suffering, of enduring loyalty to the Father, and of seeking the joy of contemplating the work to which God has called us to do. Jesus Christ is our source of strength, love, grace, mercy and help. We are changed into the likeness or image of what we behold, look at and think about. Saving relationship of Jesus Christ and the believer is never a static relationship; it is a progressive one. In this age, the transformation is progressive and partial.
But when Christ returns, we will see Him face to face, and our transformation will be complete. As you do your part by keeping still in adoring contemplation of God, and see Him as the great object of adoring love, the Holy Spirit does the rest.
Adoration of God has not only spiritual benefits, but psychological and physical ones too. The psychological and physical benefits from adoring contemplation of God are that we are free from the ill effects of worry. Though, we are thankful for the by-products, the goal must always be God’s glory, not ours. Ultimately the purpose of human existence, especially of God’s redeemed people, the church, is to live before this great and glorious God in adoration, love and praise, and to find in Him alone our all in all.
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