Dale Cresap's blog

My word teaches you how to deal with your enemies. It also teaches you to be a peacemaker. Do you realize that these are the same thing? You don’t make peace by dealing with your friends. If you say that you have no enemies you deceive yourself. Do you think of enemies only as those who are opposed to righteousness, regardless of how they treat you? Yet I told you to love your enemies, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who despitefully use you that you may be the children of your Father in heaven. This is what I did and I want you to follow my example as a child of God. 

True scientists are observers of the natural world. The foundational principles of science are observation and generalization so natural laws such as gravity, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism are accepted because they work rather than being derived from more basic principles. My laws are set forth in my word. You can accept their validity by faith as revealed truth, but do you not also see by observation that they work? Have you ever seen the righteous forsaken? I encourage you to perform your own experiments. Live according to my principles and see what happens. 

Do you affirm the principle of political equality? This states that all men are created equal. In practice you know that this is not mathematical equality, for all people are not the same, but it means that the same rules should apply to all, and no one should get special treatment due to their status or office. Do you understand that there is a Biblical equivalent? In my word I tell you not to seek to be called rabbi or teacher, for you all have one teacher, even Christ. This applies to other offices as well. I need people to hold positions in my church, but I want them to do it as servants, not lording their positions over others, but serving with humility and grace. 

Do you think of discipline in a negative sense, the punishment imposed upon you from without for your shortcomings? Look at the high-achieving people you know. Do they have discipline imposed on them, or do they impose it on themselves? They know that a life without discipline and structure is also a life without purpose, character, passion, and achievement. Those who run the race according to the high calling of God focus their efforts and keep their eyes on the prize. They cast off every weight that would hold them back and the sin that would draw them off track that they may run the race I have set before them as winners.

You don’t have to read my word very carefully to find my teaching against hypocrisy. I reserved my strongest statements for hypocrites. I warned against false facades and called some people whitewashed tombs full of dead bones. Yet this is the impulse of humanity. Do you know anyone who doesn’t try to present themselves in the most favorable light? The expression of having an image to uphold is common terminology, but if you ponder the meaning of it you should find nothing to admire in it. Do not be discouraged by this but consider the greatness of the good news of the gospel. I can transform your inner being so it is worth putting on public display.

Do you ever meditate on things you think you already understand? Most people do not take the trouble to revisit things they think are settled matters, but I would encourage you to do so. For even though the basic foundation of your faith is so simple that a child can understand it, these truths are accessible at multiple levels. It is beneficial for you to ponder them again, for I have more to show you. This is not to tear down your foundation, but to expand and enlarge it. Consider my Sermon on the Mount. Doesn’t it address simple concepts, and state them with simple logical structure and vocabulary? Yet what have you read that is more profound?

Do you think that an inheritance is an amount of money you get from your father when he dies? Yet this term has a much broader meaning. Every influence he has in your life could be considered an inheritance, beginning with the circumstances of your birth. You can confidently predict whose children will have a better upbringing and more opportunities, based on the character of their parents. The children of the infamous have a burden to bear. For better or worse this is undeserved. Yet regardless of your inheritance in this world you have a magnificent inheritance from your Father in heaven. 

After my resurrection I met with some of my disciples and walked with them, explaining the significance of the events that had just taken place. They did not recognize me while we were walking, but afterwards they said to one another, ‘did not our hearts burn within us as he spoke?’ They recognized my voice by an invisible response within themselves. Have you ever had this experience yourself? The words I speak are spirit and life, as much to you today as for anyone at any time. They bring an inner witness of peace and conviction and power. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. 

Do you hear from me frequently? Are you wary of the process of hearing from me, thinking that it must be infallible? I am infallible, but your understanding of my voice is not. Does this bother you? Have you ever had a misunderstanding in a conversation with another person? So even speaking face to face with another person is not infallible. Yet this does not prevent you from having conversations with other people and real communication takes place even if there are also errors. So it is between us. You need to hear my voice and as you continue to walk with me the errors in your understanding will be corrected. 

Have you heard it said that truth is relative? This is an attack on the very concept of truth. Truth is not relative, but it is relational. What does this mean? I did not say that I knew the truth, but that I was the truth. I am the embodiment of truth which is inherent in my being. This means that I cannot impart the truth to you and have you practice it apart from me. And so I said that if you continue in my word you would abide in me, and would know the truth and be free.