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"Truth sits on the edge of every lie and waits for those who dare to come near enough to snatch it" - HB Cher

Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. - Romans 5:18 NLT
The Edge of Universalism ... Located on this edge are verses like this. Growing up in the Southern Baptist condition, I found this verse would stop me in my tracks. I would often ask, "Why is it that we ALL were punished for Adam & Eve's decision? - none of us had our own say so on this one catastrophic event". As a young girl, I found it terribly unfair, but decided it was one of the many things in life that I would have to live with.

It wasn't until I was much older that the REST of the verse smacks me in the face. I literally think my Sunday School teacher only read us half that verse and made sure we KNEW what wretched sinners we all were. Now after really digesting the second half I am left just as perplexed as I was as a little girl.

Why is it that Adam's sin brought down ALL mankind (like it or not), and Jesus' act of righteousness is a voluntary arrangement? From many a pulpit, it is expressed that we MUST FIRST accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in order to receive His Righteousness. Yes, I get that. But I didn't have to Accept Adam and his mistake in order to "receive" my condemnation. Who changed the rules? Why did the rules change? What's up with this double standard?

I can't help but think that there is more to this than what meets the eye.

When I meditated on this verse, I saw an image of a round battery in an electronic device. The brand new battery sat in that device, but as long as the plastic tab remained and blocked contact, there would be NO POWER to flow to that device. Even though there was a NEW BATTERY, the device would behave as if it were dead.

What in the world does that image have to do with this verse?

Well, what I began to see is that "Christ in us, the Hope of Glory" ... the "Mystery of All Ages, now revealed"... is like that NEW battery.

The plastic tab is our own minds blocking us from connecting with the Truth.

We can go our whole lives all the way to death, never experiencing the power, love, and connection we were meant to have because of our own unbelief.

But once the plastic tab is pulled (acceptance of Truth) and the battery (Mr. Truth Himself) is exposed (revealed) we can finally connect to the Power, Connection, Life we were designed for.

Because of this vision... I no longer struggle with the seemingly contradictory verses that speak of our "new heart of flesh"... our "circumcised heart"... I no longer believe in a struggle between our "sin nature" and "new nature"... I see that Christ IS in ALL as a result of His sacrifice and Resurrection.

I am of ONE mind now.

For that, I am grateful.


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