27 January 2014 - long division

27 January 2014 - long division

“How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.

In this sense "whoever is not against us is for us" (cf. Mar. 9:40).  In this sense everyone "who loves has been born of God and knows God" (cf. 1 Joh. 4).  This means that when our friends who have not yet given their lives to Jesus are still dividing Satan's house when they do choose to act in love.  As we work together in charity with people who aren't followers of Jesus we are working to divide Satan's house.  We are weakening his grasp on his possessions. 

Yet we should not take for granted that the enemy is a "strong man."  We can't "plunder his property" unless someone stronger still "first ties up the strong man."  Jesus is the only one who is strong enough to bind Satan and plunder him of his possessions, leading captivity captive (cf. Eph. 4:8).  Why is the enemy so strong?  He is strong because of the power which he has over us because of sin.  Sin, temptation, sickness, and death are his minions.  If we are honest with ourselves great strength is indeed required to address these problems in a meaningful way.  In fact, it might seem like there is nothing that can be done about "the blind and the lame."  But they are not enough to keep David from taking his rightful place as the king of Jerusalem.  If they can't drive David away, how much less can they stop Jesus from taking his rightful place as LORD of all.

The blind and the lame approached him in the temple area, and he cured them (cf. Mat 21:14).

Like sickness, sin is a problem which seems hopeless to us on a human level.  Just when we think we make progress we find ourselves worse than before.  We sometimes succeed through sheer force of will but it never seems sustainable.  But just as Jesus says to the paralyzed man "Rise and walk," so too does he say to us, "Your sins are forgiven."  The plan Jesus has for is a victorious life, free from serious sin.  We need to trust in his grace.  The only thing that can keep us within the enemy's grasp is our own unrepentant heart.

Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”

Let us turn to Jesus.  Let us rely on the "champion" whom god crowns to win the victory in our own lives.  He wants us to live out of that victory.  It is for this reason that the Father anoints him with his very Spirit.

“I have found David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
and that my arm may make him strong.”