The Chemistry of a Christian 04: Reflections and Refractions

The Chemistry of a Christian 04: Reflections and Refractions

The Chemistry of a Christian 04: Reflections and Refractions

Reflections and Refractions

SUMMARY OF WEEK 3
 

The Table Of Divine Elements 


WHERE WERE WE?

The truth and holiness of the Father declare Jesus’ intent as righteous.

The truth and holiness of the Father found Adams’ intent faulty.

Just as Adam’s sin created unrighteousness, Jesus’s true and holy intent produces righteousness for all mankind…

Romans 5:12 (NLT)

When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

Romans 5:17 (NLT)

For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. ‘

Righteousness sets in motion Jesus’ freedom from that which declares us unrighteous. 

What declares us unrighteous? 

The same things that declared Adam unrighteous – blame shame and condemnation – the emotions that bind us, lie to us and keep us trapped in strongholds and addictions.


Jesus’ freedom gives us peace, and the spirit of truth produces peace. 
 

Where Jesus’ gift and the Holy Spirit’s fruit collide, we encounter a perfect blend of love, wisdom, and power – a sound mind.
 

FOUR QUALITIES THAT JESUS REFLECTS AND REFRACTS
 

THE EVER PRESENCE OF THE FATHER 

Psalms 139:7 (NLT)

I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.

God’s magnificent presence is all we need for any challenge that may come our way. 

No person or circumstance can ever remove us from the presence of our loving Father. He is always with us, hearing our cries for help. He is always with us, protecting us from danger

THE FATHER’S MERCY

1 John 1:9 (NLT)

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.


Our Father is committed to our well-being.

Out of His great compassion, He generously gives His grace and mercy, even to people that don’t want it. He displays His great mercy by withholding the punishment we so rightfully deserve. 

He does not just issue a stay to our execution, He offers a complete divine pardon!
 

GOD IS GRACIOUS 

Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)

“Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

Gracious is another way of saying that the Father operates with divine decorum. 

He never loses His cool because He knows His way is the only way and so He does not need to get frustrated. 
 

THE FATHER IS LONG-SUFFERING

2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
 

Amidst the craziness of the world and the roller coaster ride of the supernatural, God can rely on Himself. He can trust His Word.
 

The storms of life are continually changing, but God remains the same. He is consistent and reliable. He is your anchor. You can count on God because He never changes.
 

God is eternally committed to your redemption, your spiritual growth, and your eternal destiny.
 

LIGHT HAS BEEN SHONE ON THE CHARACTER OF THE FATHER. 

THE REFLECTION AND REFRACTION OF JESUS

John 14:8-17 (NLT)

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am?

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?

The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.

Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do. “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.

You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

“If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.

He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him.

But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

Because of the Father’s ever-presence, His mercy, His graciousness, and His long-suffering Jesus is…

JESUS IS COMMITTED 

Matthew 28:20 (NLT)

“Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

JESUS IS ENDURANCE 

Hebrews 12:2 (NLT)

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

JESUS IS LOGIC (LOGOS) 

John 1:1 (NLT)

In the beginning, the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 
 

JESUS IS CREATIVE 

John 1:1-3

He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 
 

JESUS IS LIFE 

John 1:4 (NLT)

The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.
 

John 14:6 (NLT)

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
 

JESUS IS LIGHT  

John 8:12 (NLT)

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

ADDITIONAL STUDY

GOD IS EVER-PRESENT

All creation is dependent upon His presence (Col. 1:17)

God’s continual presence brings contentment (Heb. 13:5)

God is everywhere and no one can escape Him (Ps. 139:7-12)

No task is too large or too difficult for Him (Jer. 32:17, 27)

One cannot hide from God (Jer. 23:23-24)

JESUS IS PRESENT

Matthew 1:23 (NLT)

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

GOD IS MERCY

God will never relent in showing mercy to His children (Ps. 23:6)

God will listen to our pleas for mercy (Ps. 30:8)

Because of mercy, God washes away our transgressions (Ps. 51:1)

Because God is merciful, He has not hidden from us (Ps. 69:16)

Mercy comes to those who confess their sins (Prov. 28:13)

Mercy is given to those who are themselves merciful (Matt. 5:7)

God desires to show mercy to His people instead of having His people try to obtain their own righteousness (Matt. 9:13)

God shows mercy to those who fear His name (Luke 1:50)

Our mercy of others should be an imitation of God’s mercy to us (Luke 6:36)

Knowing God’s mercy encourages us to follow Him (Rom. 12:1)

GOD’S GRACE NEVER CHANGES

God never changes (Mal. 3:6)

God is consistent throughout all time (Heb. 13:8)

God is good–all the time (James 1:17)

He doesn’t lie and is true to His word (Num. 23:19)

His love is never-ending (Lam. 3:22-23)

Though the universe will change, God never will (Ps. 102:25-27; Heb. 1:10-12)

THE SECOND ADAM

Romans 5:12-17 (NLT)

When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

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