Things Which are Impossible ... the Wayfarer

Things Which are Impossible
10/30/17

Luke 18:26-27

King James Version (KJV)

²⁶ And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?

²⁷ And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

Impossibility, a word that haunts the vocabulary of men, an odious word that is not within the vocabulary of an Omnipotent God, even when unspoken by the one maintaining the concept of impossibility of salvation offered freely from the forgiveness offered relies on the ability or disability of men rather than the ability of God Himself.

All too often an attitude is formed by those refusing to see the possibility of salvation that "I can't" is a concept unique to them, when "I CAN'T" is a state shared by all men, but foreign to God, Who CAN!

Sadly, that attitude exists, both seen and unseen, spoken and unspoken throughout the populace of humanity unwilling to acknowledge that God Himself has no disability nor inability in any situation, and is willing to overcome the disability and inability experienced by a lesser creature clinging to the prowess with which he has convinced himself he is endowed.

"I can't overcome the addiction that overwhelms my capability and rationality, so why should I try?"

HE CAN!

"I can't see the worth in myself, or others, beyond the wants of the moment, and how those wants may only be met through the worth of what I have or can obtain for myself."

HE CAN!

"I can't possibly be worthy of eternal life promised because I can't change my humanity."

HE CAN!

Whether admitted aloud, or held within, too many see no need to seek the kingdom of God, seeing only the despair of their own worthiness or rather lack of that worthiness as their life is balanced in the scales against what is intended for them by God.

Many come to the conclusion that there is no need to pursue the matter, as their incapability renders them without hope in anything but the present, making only the possibility that lies in that present, of any value, therefore refusing to see the possibility  that is granted them by God.

Men have always acknowledged the possibility of their own capability, but have refused the fact that that very capability comes from the most capable of all... their Creator.

The passage opening this particular attempt to reach the reachable, defines the reachablity of each, that is found in the attitudes of two men, both acknowledging God, one relying only on self and his own attributes and accomplishment, the other recognizing his own inability and disability, but also recognizing the ability of God and the possibility presented only by HIM.

Luke 18:9-14

King James Version (KJV)

⁹ And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

¹⁰ Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

¹² I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

¹³ And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The justification of one over the other that was, and is the point of the parable given by Christ Jesus, came through the faith in the ability of GOD, rather than the ability of man.

The realization of all the "I can'ts" experienced by the publican was negated by the fact that HE CAN!

Every failure, every disappointment, every set back, every misery that besets men bringing with it that all encompassing "I can't" was overcome once and for all with the gift of salvation through the sacrifice of Christ, Who refused to surrender to that "I can't", allowing the Father to show through HIM that with HIM we can.

He faced the same disappointment faced by all, the same misery experienced by all, intensified, magnified and multiplied, by virtue of the fact that none of it belonged to HIM, but to those to whom he brought the salvation  seen as impossible by them.

The sacrificial death on the cross led to the resurrection that disproved any "I can't" that existed for mankind.

Still, men continue to place value and faith only in the possibility of their own capability, having forgotten the possibility given them through the simple message of redemption through repentance that grants that possibility, turning possibility into surety.

Ephesians 2:1-10

King James Version (KJV)

2 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

² Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

³ Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

⁷ That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.

¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

There is no "I can't." to be found in the workmanship of the ONE Who CAN!

That workmanship begins with the comprehension that "Whosoever" includes each and all who can and will hear and heed that simplest message of hope and promise ever given that negates any "I can't" with the fact that HE STILL CAN!

2 Timothy 1:12

King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen

the Wayfarer