Is God an Egomaniac? Part 6: Get Unplugged From the Matrix-- One Law in Life

What Is Important in Life?

To have a good marriage, I learned to pick my battles well.  There are some things not worth arguing about.  Maybe I don’t like the way you part your hair.  Maybe you don’t like the way I squeeze the toothpaste.

Since people are chopping people up into little pieces and putting them in the refrigerator or burying people in their back yard, I think we have a lot more to deal with in life as a Christian and marriage than petty differences of opinions or nit-picking.  I heard there were two murders in Indiana for the new year.  The Pharisees were majors of the minors. They tithed, but Jesus said the Pharisee strained out a gnat and swallowed a camel.  He said there were more important matters to focus on than the outside of a person.

Woe to you teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices -- mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law -- justice, mercy and faithfulness.
You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel" (Matthew 23:23,24)

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Matthew 23:25

When a minister speaks against piercings, tattoos and social drinking, I consider they are majoring on the outside of the cup not changing a person’s heart which is the “want to” in doing certain things.  Let the outward things change in time after the axe is laid to the heart.  Man has a heart problem and we all have to go through a spiritual heart transplant.  Too many pastors are focusing on the outward cup, not the inward problem of the heart that causes adultery, murder, rape, etc.   We need to deal with the center of the matter which is getting the wickedness out of people’s heart.  There are bigger gnats than people marking their bodies which was condemned under Old Testament law, or whether Jesus drank wine or grape juice at the wedding feast.

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45

The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." Luke 3:9

Man looks at the outward appearance, God judges the heart.

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. 1 Thess 2:4

First, Get Unplugged From the Matrix

There are many parallels to the Bible from the movie, The Matrix.  Everyone is born into the matrix or into sin. Even innocent babies are born with a selfish nature. 

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned-- Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. Roman 5:11-12

By the time a person reaches the age of accountability, we are aware of a moral conscience.  We also become aware that we don’t always do what we should be doing.  Some people try to go outside themselves to understand others and find their way to God and some focus on self and obtaining all the pleasures they can get out of life, after all this is the only life they have to look forward to, no after life is what they believe.  Their god is pleasure.   

treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—2 Timothy 3:4

The example of the prodigal son is an example of trying to find self-gratification in life in leaving the values taught by his father.

A certain man had two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me the portion of thy wealth that would fall to me at thy death." He did so, and a few days after the younger son gathered all his wealth together and journeyed into a far country. There he met with evil companions, and wasted his money in riotous living. (Luke 15:11-13)

Counterfeits

If you have never seen a real McCoy how would you know you have a counterfeit?  Counterfeit money is very close to real money. “The real McCoy" is an idiom originated in the United States which means "the real thing" or "the genuine article", e.g., "he's the real McCoy."

If you were raised in an oppressive country all your life where woman never had freedom how would you know what it is like to experience freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and the freedom to make decisions?  People don’t know they are part of the matrix because they have never experienced real spiritual freedom.  One huge freedom I experienced in knowing Jesus Christ is being free from the fear of death.  I knew I was doing wrong and I knew if I died it was not going to fair well for me.  That was one great freedom in my life is not having to worry about where I was going to spend eternity and being afraid to die and face it.

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil and free those who all their lives were held in bondage by their fear of death. Hebrews 2:14-15

For what this worldly system has to offer as counterfeits in life, you can bet that God has a real McCoy.  The buzz that alcohol and drugs provide are the only joy many people are going to experience in life since they don’t have an inner joy or peace that comes from God’s spirit within.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Romans 14:17-18

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 5:18

One Law in Life and One Way to God

So what matters in life is what we do with God’s son.  Either he was insane, just a man or who he claimed to be the son of God who came into the world to give man a spiritual heart transplant.  If we honor Jesus, we are honoring God.

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 1 John 4:15

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 1 John 5:1

No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 1 John 2:23

that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him John 5:23

Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John 17:3

The main law or rule we are to follow in life is love:

Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Roman 13:10

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.  Matthew 7:12

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.  Matthew 22:39

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. Roman 13:8

The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Galatian 5:14

Custom Built Homes (Hearts)

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. Revelations 3:20

God is standing at the door of our hearts and he is knocking on our heart.  Our hearts are custom built homes by God.  There is a void in our spirits (they are dead) until we come to the place of recognizing that we were created like Adam and Eve to walk and talk with God.   When owners custom build their homes the specifications are to their liking.  God has made male and female to his liking.  He blessed them and called their name Adam.  He would come in the cool of the day and walk and talk with Adam.  He made man ruler over the earth and told them they could eat of every tree, but they could not eat of the tree from the knowledge of good and evil.  Man has a free will and chose to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.   Sin cut Adam and Eve off from the presence and goodness of God.  At that time, it required the sacrifice of the shedding of innocent animal blood for the atonement of their sins for right standing before God.

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22

For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life. Lev. 17:11

Since God is good (Jesus said only God is good) we know that there is no evil in God.   This is contrary to the Star Wars philosophy that the force is both evil and good.  God is only good.   We can tell if something is from God if it is good.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10

The earth is made from heaven.  Much of heaven will be like earth only the absence of evil.  “Thy will be done on earth as it is heaven.”  Satan is confined to this earth, he is not in heaven – he was cast down and he knows his time is short.  There is no sickness, disease, or death in heaven.  No rebellion, or sins of the flesh.  Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.  For those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior, the kingdom of God is within us.  

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:20-21

Hell is the absence of the presence of God.  Because my husband died, I am absent from his presence and I miss his presence.  If we approach the throne room of God (when we leave this body) and we have a dead spirit (not accepted the sacrifice of Jesus blood) and we have heard the preaching of the gospel, God will say, “Depart from me I never knew you, you workers of iniquity.”   Matthew 7:21-23 

The thief on the cross did not do any works, but he asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom.  We are saved by what Jesus did on the cross through faith, not by anything we can do.  If it was by our works than we could glory in our flesh.  But no man will glory in God’s presence.  There is not enough good works we can ever do to make ourselves in right standing before God.   The Old Testament with all its rituals showed man that it’s impossible to please God without faith.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.  Hebrews 11:6

he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior Titus 3:5-6

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Cor. 1:18

Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."  Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:42-43

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:9

For those who have not accepted Jesus Christ, the innocent lamb as the atonement of their sins, they will face judgment according to their deeds.  For those who have passed from spiritual death unto spiritual life, they will not face judgment.  For those who have heard and rejected the gospel, they will be without excuse.

But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 1 Peter 4:5

So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Romans 14:12

"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. John 5:24

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 1 John 3:14

Apparently, because Jesus died for everyone, all our names are in the Book of Life, but some people’s names will be erased out of that book:

All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine. Revelation 3:5

But now, please forgive their sin--but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written."  The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book.  Exodus 32:32-33

May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous. Psalm 69:28

However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:20

And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person's share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.  Revelation 22:9