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( 1-8-06 )

Eph.4:17-24

Paul tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. (Rom.3:23) Paul’s word choice here for shorter does not have to due with tallness but rather with measuring up to a standard. All, that is everyone, does not measure up the standard. The next question would be – what standard? The right answer is? _____________.

God created humanity, that is the designed prototypes, out of the dirt from the garden Eden . In whose likeness were they formed? ^GE
1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Reason with me for just a moment – before the both of them (Adam and Eve) disobeyed, were they sinless? At that point were they like us being found in deficiency of God’s glory?

The act of rebellion against the sovereign will of God lost humanity something special – Glory! Not just any glory but God’s glory. In 1Sam.4:21 we are told the name of child born at the time the news was delivered concerning that child’s father’s fate. The father was killed, the Ark , the very Glory seat of God, lost in battle. The mother with her last dying breath after birthing a boy names him Ichabod.

All of humanity should rightly be named Ichabod because the name means “no glory” This word for glory is tied directly to God as can be seen in Deut.5:24 where God showed his kabod, his glory to Israel . (see also Isa.42:8)

So it can be seen that sin has tarnished the once gloriously made man and woman and even yet that tarnish darkens what was designed to radiate light. Like batteries gone dead in the middle of the night. The good news is the tarnish is removable but only from one solution.

On old commercial claimed: “nothing takes the stain away like Bonami”. Brasso for brass, Mothers for chrome, Turtle wax for cars, Kiwi for shoes, and Johnson’s for the furniture but what will put the shine, the glory back into men and woman? Obedience to the law is good for maintaining luster but does little to restore. Force of will, good old elbow grease – no effect. Changing names, jobs, location and hair do, nothing but a waste of time.

There is only one thing powerful enough to remove the stain of sin and restore the glory – blood. Not just any blood. The only blood able to bring any soul to better than new luster and shine is the blood of Jesus once shed for all of humanity on the cross at Calvary .

It would be right to call the heathen masses who have not been yet redeemed Ichabods for that is what they truly are but for you who have entered into salvation have had the ic removed. Let the Glory of the Lord shine!

In the reading for today (Eph.4:17-24) Paul gives us words to heeded because they are words of truth. Those who have been redeemed must labor to live so as to keep the glory a-glowing. The 1^st step is to put off your old self. To not continue in the old ways of the flesh. Those ways that tarnish and corrupt and defile the soul and body and deceive the mind so that it is not able to see the truth.

The 2^nd step is to adapt the new attitudes of the mind. Attitudes that bring sight rather than blindness. And 3^rd, we are called to put on the new self which is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

We live in a dark, sin sick world that is in desperate need for light and enlightenment – let the Glory shine!