Romans 7:14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
There once was a prince who loved a young lady. He found her when she was a prisoner in a foreign land. He broke the chains that held her bound and rescued her from the enemy. The prince brought the young lady into His palace. He healed her body and soothed away her pain with His words of Love. He fed her from His own table and gave her the most tender care. When the young lady grew stronger and recognized the gentle Love that rescued her and healed her, she likewise fell in love with the prince. As the prince healed her of the bad memories of her past with His words of acceptance, she grew stronger and loved Him even more. One day, her kind prince had to take care of the Great King’s business. Before He left, He asked the young lady, who now was engaged to marry Him, to take care of His garden of flowers, to feed His sheep, and to never speak to anyone about the foreigners who had tormented her. The young lady wanted to please her Prince, so she readily agreed.
The first few weeks after He was gone, she dutifully watered the flowers and planted more seeds in His garden. She looked after His sheep and kept them safe within the fenced pastures. She spoke only of her gratitude for the Prince and shared her excitement about their coming wedding. One day, as the young lady was busy with her plans for the future, she forgot to water the flowers and plant new seeds. She decided to visit old friends and forgot to lead the sheep into a new pasture with fresh grass. Her old friends asked her about those who had captured her and held her prisoner. She remembered all that was done to her and told them.
The next day she went to the garden and saw that the flowers had wilted in the heat of the sun and dryness of the ground. The new seeds were not covered in the earth’s soil. She thought of the Prince’s kindness toward her and her love for Him shot an arrow of pain through her heart. She wept and ran to get water. As she worked, she clutched the arrow of pain within her heart and refused to pull it out. She then ran to the pasture and found the sheep weak from hunger. Another arrow of pain, greater than the first, lodged deep within her heart. Her love for her Prince held it there. Her tears blinded her as she led the sheep to a green pasture. As she watched the sheep, who were weak from hunger, slowly make their way toward their food, a servant arrived with a message. A war had begun. Her friends had told the story of her unjust treatment by those in the foreign land to many others. Hostility began and then a war. The Prince was told. He had to delay coming home so that He could restore peace to the land. A third and very large arrow pierced the young lady’s heart. She gasped with pain as her love for her Prince bound the arrow to her heart.
When the Prince finally returned, He found His beloved lying beside the road. His garden flourished and His sheep were well-fed, but she was almost dead. He took her into His arms and kissed her. As she revived, He saw that she did not look like the young lady she once was. Her countenance now shone like the sun. Her being was now sculpted ornately like the pillars in His palace. Her old self was gone, cut away by the three arrows made of her Love for her Prince.
Only the pain of true Love can kill the flesh.
Revelation and understanding: Our own Love for Jesus causes our flesh to die. Those with little love for Him retain all their flesh their whole lives. Those who are truly in Love with Him whittle away their own flesh like a dog who bites his leg in half to get it out of a trap.
Psalm 144:9-13 9 I will sing a new song to you, my God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you, 10 to the One who gives victory to kings, who delivers his servant David. From the deadly sword 11 deliver me; rescue me from the hands of foreigners whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful. 12 Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace. 13 Our barns will be filled with every kind of provision. Our sheep will increase by thousands, by tens of thousands in our fields
Ephesians 4:20-24 20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Revelation 3:5 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.
Ephesians 5:26-27 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless
Romans 5:8 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
2Corinthians 5:14-15 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
1Corinthians 3:8 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.
John 21:17 17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
Matthew 6:12 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Matthew 18:21-22 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Romans 8:13b but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
Colossians 3:5 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Isaiah 61:10 10 I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Matthew 25:10 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.