The Source of Life - `The Channel of Blessing'.

Part 5 in a series of articles on `The Last Generation'. 

The way we view the character of God inevitably effects the manner by which we conduct ourselves. Most importantly, it affects how we interact with other people, and dramatically affects our personal relationships.  While most people believe that there is some form of life after death,  and have an innate sense of what is right and what is wrong,  a belief in atheism  (for example) provides the non-believer  with a value system which has anarchy as its basis. Ultimately, if one does not believe in a Supreme Being from which all value (or law) has originated, then value, and law is created within oneself and anarchy prevails, for right is based upon might - and all other people are regarded as objects by which one can increase one's personal power.  Value comes from within, and one cannot admit fault unless they diminish their personal power.

If we instead believe that we are divine, we once again find that Law is created by one's self, by reason that you regard yourself as divine by nature. Therefore  as relationships exist solely for the benefit of enhancing your own personal power, then value comes from within and you cannot admit fault unless you diminish your personal power. As it is `self' which becomes the primary consideration within these two value systems, it is upon the question of self where these two opposites meet; for anarchy, or lawlessness prevails  as you become a law unto yourself.  These two value systems equate with `Eros', for even if you do not believe in God, ultimately humanism prevails, and man becomes his own God. Thus atheism ultimately leads directly to what is now commonly known as `New Age' belief.

If you believe that you are immortal, the focus is still upon yourself.  Although you acknowledge that life is a gift from God, all Law comes from God, and you live according to Law as set by a higher power; but because you yourself are also  immortal (as is God), then the essence of that power is distilled through you, as you are in fact a small part of the One God in All from which that power originates. Therefore relationships are not binding, but are instead optional and exist for the benefit of enhancing one's self power. The Divine relationship is critical, for you cannot function properly unless you live in an ordered world which is based upon a value system which originates in God - which, paradoxically  is a system in which value comes primarily from your own self, and secondarily from the external life giver - for in this  value system  you are in fact a small part of God in which `self' still prevails.  It is a value system which leads to insecurity in your relationship with God and other people, for you have a constant need to prove to yourself and to  God that you are worthy of Him, and a multitude of works, plus faith in yourself to `get over the top' prevails. In this value system, `self' still prevails and equates to Caritas; and is the premise upon which the mediaeval  Church was based, for the germinal seeds of `Caritas' were first sown when St. Augustine attempted to syncretise `Eros' with `Agape' and called it `Caritas'.  Pope Benedict XVI's First Encyclical Letter reveals that the foundation of the Catholic Church is a philosophy which is based upon this synthesis of `Eros' with `Agape'.

If you instead believe that man is mortal, eternal life is conditional and depends upon man's response to God's offer of eternal life; then if you accept that offer, life is received moment by moment by the Giver of Life. Relationships are vital and are become a channel of blessing; for every relationship becomes an opportunity to serve others - which in itself becomes a blessing which is its own reward; for your own relationship to God is based upon submission to His life-giving authority. In this system  all value comes from the life giver, because due to the sin problem, we have no inherent value of our own - except for the value the Life Giver creates in us. He makes that which is worthless infinitely more precious than the golden wedge of Ophir. In this value system, we can admit fault, as satisfaction results in personal achievement, instead of the value which is placed upon `self'; for selflessness and the negation of the ego prevails. It equates to `Agape', for the selflessness which prevails in this value system describes the attributes and character of God - For `God is agape' (1 John 4:8); and true selflessness flows as a wellspring of life from God, to us - if we will receive it.  As these other value systems demonstrate, `he that agape not knoweth not God, for God is agape'. (1 John 4:8)

The impact of how our relationship with God affects our relationship with others has become Adrian Eben's life work, for Adrian was directed by God to focus upon the channel of blessing which comes from obedience to the Word of God, which is directed from the Father to the Son, from the Son to the husband, the head of his family, from the husband to his wife, and from the wife of her husband to her children. This indeed has proven to be a channel of blessing for Adrian and Lorelle. With Adrian's kind permission I have reproduced Adrian's three `Life Source Models', which can be found on page 17 of `Life Matters - The Channel of Blessing'; and have put them in their traditional framework of `Eros', `Agape' and `Caritas', for the word which the New Testament writers used which describes the channel of blessing which flows independently from the Father to the Son, and thence to humanity is `Agape'; for `Agape'  describes the character of Him from which the channel of blessing flows independent of itself from the Father, to the Son, and thence to ourselves.  Adrian's `Source of Life' models in fact describes the attributes of  `Agape', `Eros' and `Caritas'.