Got Fruit ?

Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.
Ephesians 3:20

At times we feel as if we could impress God with all we are trying to do for Him and His church. Yet God has yet to be impressed with even the most grandiose human aspirations (Ps. 8:3-4). You will never set a goal so big or attempt a task so significant that God does not have something far greater that He could do in and through your life. Saul of Tarsus worked harder than anyone else to impress God with his efforts, only to discover that his greatest achievements were but rubbish compared to God’s will for his life (Phil. 3:7-8).

Our problem is that we become too easily enamored with our own plans. If we are attempting to do noble or difficult things, we assume that we must be experiencing the maximum potential for our lives and that God must, therefore, be pleased with us. Until we have heard from God, we cannot even imagine all that our lives could become or all that God could accomplish through us.

We need to remind ourselves that the Father sees the "big picture," that His power far exceeds our limited imagination. We must set aside our own agenda, however lofty. We must never become satisfied with our own dreams, for they are finite at best. When we follow God’s direction we will witness things happening in our lives that can only be explained by His powerful presence. How could we be satisfied with anything less?

Henry and Richard Blackaby
Experiencing God Day-by-Day

The following long post is from what initially started out as a response to a comment left by visitor TitforTat from the post: Oh yeah!?, how could a loving God condemn someone to hell?".  TitforTat’s comment, a quote from Thomas Talbott’s book: "The Inescapable Love of God", called for a deeper Biblical response which seemed a waste to bury in a comment thread.  Below (in blockquotes) is a copy of the commented quote left by Titfor Tat, followed by my response."

COMMENT FROM:Oh yeah!?, how could a loving God condemn someone to hell?".

TitforTat Says:
January 1st, 2009 at 6:07 pm

Hey Christopher

Happy New Year, heres something to maybe make you think a little. If you really want to think, get the book.

The idea that divine justice requires forgiveness accords very well with the New Testament analogy between God and a loving parent. It also illuminates in an intriguing way the nature of Gods opposition to sin. As the Augustinians see it, God opposes sin enough to punish it, but not enough to destroy it altogether; instead of destroying sin altogether, he merely confines it to a specially prepared region of his creation, known as hell, where he keeps it alive for an eternity. According to our alternative picture, however, God forgives sin for this very reason: In no other way could he oppose it with his entire being. For as the St. Paul saw so clearly, our specific sins express a sinful condition, and the latter is a form of spiritual death; it is simply our condition of being separated or estranged or alienated from God and from each other. So the opposite of a sinful condition is a state of reconciliation; and if that is so, then God cannot be against sin, cannot oppose it with his entire being, unless he is for reconciliation. And he can hardly be for reconciliation unless he is prepared to forgive others even as he has commanded us to forgive them. Indeed, if God should refuse to forgive someone, as is not even possible given his loving nature, he would then separate himself from this person; and that is the very essence of sin as Paul himself understood it.
Thomas Talbott …The inescapable Love of God

Christopher says:

Thanks and Happy New Year to you as well. I’m going to chew on this for a bit and get back with you.

Grace and peace be with you.

END OF COMMENT

POST/RESPONSE

Let us begin by addressing the assumption that "divine justice requires forgiveness". This assumption I believe is a spin on the same idea that because God is and does love; it precludes Him from allowing anyone to pay for the consequences of their own actions (sin). I say ‘allowing" because I believe a tendency of our naturally sinful selves is to shift responsibility or blame onto someone else. In Genesis, Adam illustrates this when confronted by God.

Genesis 3:11-12
11 And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" 12 The man said, "The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."

In one breath Adam deflects his own culpability by managing to not only blame Eve, but seems to be implicating God as well… "The woman you put here with me"; forgetting that God had given him a specific command; "…I commanded you not to eat from?". (See also Genesis 2:15-17)  Eve wasn’t created yet when that command was given.

Returning back to divine justice requiring forgiveness however, it assumes that we deserve or are otherwise entitled to forgiveness. This thought proposes that without extending forgiveness God can’t be just nor administer justice. The question is his though: "Who’s understanding of justice are we talking about? - God’s or what man presumes to know of it?"  Notice in the following from Isaiah that God gives a specific response that man is to have towards Him, of which God will then respond back to man.

Isaiah 55:7-8
7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

If we take Talbott’s notion of "divine justice requiring forgiveness" as a blanket statement,it presents a problem as then even Satan (See Isaiah 14:12-15) and his demons (fallen angels) should qualify for a pass. Is that justice - to allow the architect of chaos and sin a pass? Or perhaps Satan and crew don’t count in Talbott’s assessment of divine justice? The question would then be - "Why is it that Satan and his demons won’t be forgiven by God?"; since as Talbott states:

Indeed, if God should refuse to forgive someone, as is not even possible given his loving nature, he would then separate himself from this person; and that is the very essence of sin as Paul himself understood it.
Thomas Talbott - The Inescapable love of God

Talbott puts the  heat on God here, making it out that God is the one doing the separating from His creation.  Throughout the Bible though, as God is dealing with Israel, it is the nation of Israel that provokes God to divorce Himself of Israel due their adulteress actions (sin).  This same response from God was first shown in Genesis when God drove Adam out of the garden… because of his sin against God.

As did Adam, Talbott attempts to reverse the situation making God out to be "the bad guy".  Talbott is confused in his theology, the very essence of sin is that it is rebellion to what God has commanded; an act of disobedience (Adam) or defiance.(Lucifer/Satan).  It is that rebellion (sin) that causes us to be separated from God, because His nature is holy.

Speaking of separation and God’s nature… from the book of Romans, Paul the apostle warns of the coming wrath of God.  Paul makes it clear that God and His ways of righteousness are evident.

Romans 1:18-20
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

From the beginning; in the beginning, God seems to be making a point about separation.  I brought up Romans 1:18-20 as a parallel thought and to segue back to Genesis, to further illustrate a point concerning God’s holy nature. Building off of Romans 1:18-20, in Genesis 1:4, you have a  literal and metaphorical example, the metaphor referring to sin/evil.  Genesis 1:7 is another literal example of separation displayed in nature as an example of… "God’s invisible qualities-His eternal power and divine nature.".

Genesis 1:4,7
4 God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.

7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so.

Over 2500 years after Genesis (dates of Creation, The Fall of Man, The Noahic Flood, & The Tower of Babel unknown) Christ Himself has this to say about separation of sin from righteousness in the Parable of the Net.

Matthew 13:47-51
47 "Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51 "Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked.
      "Yes," they replied.

For Talbott to arrive at the position that in the end every one is forgiven and thus saved from eternal condemnation to Hell, Jesus has to therefore have lied.   Additionally Talbott’s position makes Christ’s crucifixion in vain, there’s no connection between the death of Jesus on the cross and the need to have a savior in Christ to atone for our sins.  Would you willing die for no reason, no purpose?

Romans 3:25-26
25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Colossians 1:19-20
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Here Talbott paints the opposite of sin as reconciliation.  The opposite of a sinful condition would be righteousness, as obedience is the opposite of disobedience, right is to wrong, holy is to wicked, and as light is to dark.  He tries to close the gap between sin and holiness with reconciliation.  Talbott fails to mention however that as sure as there is the potential for reconciliation, there first must come a response of repentance which affords justification, and the only way to be justified before God is through Christ.

Romans 3:21-24
21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

"So the opposite of a sinful condition is a state of reconciliation; and if that is so, then God cannot be against sin, cannot oppose it with his entire being, unless he is for reconciliation…"
Thomas Talbott - The Inescapable love of God

Again in order for Talbott’s position to be true, it then insinuates that Jesus lied or was confused concerning the Parable of the Narrow and Wide Gates  He gave.  What then do we say concerning the words spoken by Jesus of separating The Sheep and The Goats as all the nations are gathered before Him in heaven?

Matthew 7:13-14
13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Matthew 25:31-46
31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left…. 46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Talbott insists that all will then be given eternal life using the rationale that God has to forgive everyone since He is for reconciliation.  Reconciliation on the other hand is the effect of a repentant heart, justified through Christ. Adam was already in a right relationship with God, he was not reconciled to God prior to committing sin, because there was nothing to be made right until after he sinned against God.

Romans 3:21-24
21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

 

"… And he can hardly be for reconciliation unless he is prepared to forgive others even as he has commanded us to forgive them."
Thomas Talbott - The Inescapable love of God

A few questions to meditate on:

• "If there’s no imminent danger or consequence why then the warnings against sin?"
• "Why then does God allow His Son to be murdered by His creation?".
• "If God was willing to let His Son die for our sakes (for reconciliation), why would He not allow man to in fact pay with his life for refusing to accept His grace?"
• "What is the rationale or purpose in this exercise of a blood payment for sin?"

God has made it perfectly clear in Romans 6:23 that "…the wages of sin is death." He’s made known what the conditions are for eternal life, as well as what’s at stake for those that do not repent from their  sin(s) and accept his gift of grace. 

John 3:16-18
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Romans 5:8-9
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!

1st John 5:11-12
11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

In the end, I don’t agree with Talbott’s perspective concerning God and His (God’s) method of administering justice.  It’s not that I feel it unfair of God to let some pass without meeting the standards while others are supposedly held to them per Talbott’s spin.  My reasons as already presented via Scripture are that Talbott goes beyond what Scripture  clearly reveals about God’s plan and means of reconciliation for humanity.  Talbott’s interpretation simply doesn’t line up with the Bible. Talbott it would appear has manufactured in his mind some new gospel not preached by Paul.  Furthermore, a brief visit to Talbott’s site revealed this link where he calls for "a universalist reading of the New Testament".  That said, I leave you with these words from Paul himself.

Galatians 1:6-10
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Ephesians 5:6-7
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them.

Grace and peace be with you.

For the past month and a half I’ve been trying to read a chapter of Psalm each day along with whatever other specific book of the Bible I’m at the moment engaged in (or is it with?).  Sorry mental detour .. anywho.  I was reading Psalm 39 last night which had a passage that reminded me of some similar thoughts portrayed in Ecclesiastes 1.  In Psalm 39:4-6 David it seems, has turned from focusing directly on his sins against God, and their immediate consequences, to a deeper introspective position.  David seems to be not only fixated on the vanity and folly of going about life by his own devices, but has come to the realization that when compared to God, his life is nothing, inconsequential to God, The Creator of all that was, is, and shall be.  David is not saying that we are not cherished by God our Creator (John 3:16), rather I think that his realization and at least one line of thought in Psalm 39 has bought him to conclude in his heart that outside of God’s parameters, our lives are meaningless; as he’s already felt the sting of death literally (death of son born to Bathsheba) and consequentially in the demise of his reign.

Psalm 39:4-6
4 "Show me, O LORD, my life’s end
       and the number of my days;
       let me know how fleeting is my life.

5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
       the span of my years is as nothing before you.
       Each man’s life is but a breath.

Selah

6 Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
       He bustles about, but only in vain;
       he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. 

In a somewhat similar train of thought from Ecclesiastes 1:, the author whom some Bible scholars have penned as the works of King Solomon (son of David) is lamenting (crying out in grief) about the meaningless toils of man. 

Ecclesiastes 1:2-3
2 "Meaningless! Meaningless!"
       says the Teacher.
       "Utterly meaningless!
       Everything is meaningless."

3 What does man gain from all his labor
       at which he toils under the sun?

I think that an idea to take from both referenced passages is, not to give up on life; nor necessarily the pursuit of a comfortable life while still in this thing called life (1 Timothy 6: 6-8), in spite of the "meaningless" of our actions while temporarily occupying this little patch of the universe that God crafted for us.  Instead, like David there needs to be that realization, an epiphany(?); that nothing we fabricate by our own means in the pursuit of happiness will in fact bring eternal peace and happiness.  That honor is  reserved for Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior (John 14:6).

Fellow blogger, Steeler fan, & someone I consider a friend, E. Barrett (aka E.B. of R3 fame) has a post from the day after Christmas titled: "A Chistmas Lesson" where he shares another page from his personal journey in "learning to live as a Christian".  E.B. and I have shared thoughts on our respective walks with Christ, perspectives on where God is moving the believer, and how he moves us all closer to knowing and doing his will.  A thought shared with E.B. back in September that somehow seems to be coming full circle, or at least fits with the flow of this post from my quirky minded perspective:

(2 September 2008)
I think that for starters, anytime a Christian acknowledges that they’re deficient in an area of their walk with Christ; that acknowledgment is sort of like the precursor to that deficiency becoming “fixed” by the Lord. A spin on how the Law makes us aware of sin, I suppose. I used to never speak out openly about God because of fear of ridicule. Nowadays, that’s not a problem, and I would say it’s because over time (as your relationship grows), Jesus does transform the committed believer.

My point? Yesterday was a day that you walked behind Christ, today you might be walking a little closer to Him; and tomorrow is the day that you walk side by side, step for step with Him.

Maturation by nature takes time, some folks perhaps do go through a radical and quick process of transformation, while others don’t. Scripture an my own personal experiences tell me that it all starts with the condition of the heart, sometimes we have deeper issues that the Lord must work on before we get to that spot where we become the “Super Christian” we aspire to be.

Cue the lights and fade in final thoughts…

Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Grace and peace be with you

Sponge Bob Square Pants and Patrick Starfish called ‘em "sentence enhancers", those of us not in Toon Land know them simply as cuss words, profanity or swearing.  I know… actually admitting that I know anything about a toon, much less Sponge Bob probably is not going to help my cause with the babes I’m sure.  

This weekend a friend from church, asked for my help with a discussion/debate she was having with her friend "Chip" concerning the use of profanity by professing Christians.  Chip holds the opinion that words normally considered as profane or obscene are just words.  Chip believes that since the Bible doesn’t specifically say that s*** or f*** are sinful for example, it’s ok to use such words.  Chip’s rationale is that as long as those words are directed at an object and not a person, no foul no harm.  Looking to the Bible, I can’t say that I follow Chip’s rationale.

Ephesians 4:29
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Colossians 3:5-8
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

James 3:9-12
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt[a] water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

The subject of using improper language came up again this afternoon in a conversation between myself and co-worker "Larry".  As the conversation moved on, Larry and I came to the conclusion that even on occasions where we use words such as "dang" or "darn"; or phrases such as "Oh my gosh!","Oh my goodness!" or "Good grief!"; what we’re really doing is simply fooling ourselves into thinking it’s Ok to say such things since we’ve replaced the offensive or inappropriate term with something that sounds benign.  Rather than commit to yea or nay view in terms of it being an issue of damnation for someone saying "dang",  I think of it more like a character issue that God speaks to our hearts about.

I’m not advocating that a follower of Christ turn into the language police for their workplace.  I do believe however that the Bible has some more to say about how we each should watch what comes out of our own mouths.  In chapter 5 of Ephesians Paul starts his argument by pointing out the standard that Christians are to aspire to live up to…

Ephesians 5:1 
1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
(See Romans 12:1-2)

Between verses 3 and 5 of Ephesians 5 Paul gives a detailed listing of sinful activities and sinful attitudes that would disqualify a man from inheriting the kingdom of Christ, Paul is telling the church of Ephesus that these things are improper because as children of God, the Ephesians are to be conducting themselves in a holy manner.

• sexual immorality
• any kind of impurity
• greed
• obscenity
• foolish talk
• coarse joking
• idolatry

Ephesians 5:3-5
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

I imagine that himself Paul contended with his fair share of folks in the church that tried to rationalize their use of "sentence enhancing language", hence a reason for this section of the letter to the Ephesians.  Having dealt with this argument, Paul seems to understand not only the impropriety in using "bad words", but also the wayward thinking of anyone attempting to convince a believer otherwise.  Paul says that these advocates are being deceptive, their argument having no merit because it’s from men with a world view, there is no authority here.

Ephesians 5:6-11
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

Grace and peace be with you.

I happened to wake this morning to the sounds and promises of the latest iron clad method to self improvement, you know… somewhere in that time slot where all of those wonderful infomercials air on television.  Usually what’s on is something to the effect of buying foreclosed real estate on the cheap,building a home business by selling someone else’s stuff, selling your own junk on Ebay, or entertaining family & friends with the latest do it all gadget.

What caught my attention as in "that’s odd, peculiar and a bit disturbing" this morning was this infomercial for "Harmonic Wealth".  The infomercial from a visual perspective was put together well, it had the polish of a professionally prepared business pitch (yeah, like I’ve seen a lot of those).  Plenty of smiling and vibrant looking folks (mid 30’s to late 40’s) throughout the 5 to 10 minutes I watched, all with positive "testimonies" about how James Arthur Ray and his "program" (?) had changed their lives.  First red flag.  Don’t get me wrong, sometimes we don’t always articulate well in words what we’re thinking, but….  it’s been my observation that when someone tosses out accolades to and or about another human, about how much they’ve "changed" (influenced) their life, thoughts of Waco or Jonesboro come to mind.

I was just about to flip the channel, since going back to sleep didn’t seem like an option,  when a brief sound bite from the DVD being promoted played.  Ray goes into his "three for three" approach: "Thoughts, feelings, actions - all have to be firing congruently. And, if they’re not…there is something off, something awry there."    What this statement leads up to eventually is that once theses three areas are mastered, one can get (manipulate) the "law of attraction", which then puts finances, relationships,mental,physical, & spiritual aspects in order.  From my short handed knowledge, and what I’ve picked up as being connected to the book titled "The Secret" via the Internet, this "law of attraction" is some cosmic law of the universe.  Ooops there went another red flag.

Anywho, back to these thoughts-feelings and actions that caught my attention.  This little section grabbed my attention, because they are concepts that the Christian deals with in their relationship with Christ, or rather the Holy Spirit deals with the Christian by convicting us when we’re not doing what Christ commands(see Romans 12:1-2).  Thoughts and actions are fairly straight forward.  Take for example what Jesus commanded in Matthew 22:

Matthew 22:37-40
37Jesus replied: " ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

James 1:22
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

1st Peter 1:13
13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

As for "feelings", I’m reminded of this past Sunday’s service.  Service was a bit different this week, things we’re done in a different order as for opening songs of worship, the meet and greet time, communion and offering, etc.  There’s normally a routine followed, whereby the sermon follows the above mentioned portions of the service, this week however the sermon was spread throughout in smaller chunks if you will, with the Praise and Worship team leading in more song and praise after these "chunks" of the overall message (sermon) were presented.  Now the back story to this is that for several months there’s been some ruffled feathers over the music selection/style at church as well as who’s leading worship,how loud the music is or isn’t and probably half a dozen other petty things that folks get their holy panties in a bunch over; sometimes to the point of leaving the church.  The message for the day, and reason for the difference in service program as our pastor conveyed to the congregation is this:

"Worshipping God is never about how we feel.  God is supposed to be the object of the worship."

As I see it, "feeling" or "feelings" is another way of saying ATTITUDE, and ATTITUDE can be expressed in one of two ways, obedience to God (Holiness, see 2nd Corinthians 5:17) or disobedience (SIN).  The point to all of this I suppose is to bring to the attention of readers what appears to be just one more example of man-centered "religion".  Harmonic Wealth appears to be another New Age self-help and empowerment philosophy (see Ephesians 5:6-7) that ought to be avoided.

1st Peter 2:1-3
1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Grace and peace be with you.