Living in the Image of God M02S06
God creates every person with opportunities to earn independent blessing by completing responsibilities as his representative in human interactions; based on conditional promise proclaimed in the Beatitudes and explained through parables. Additionally, a person can receive dependent blessing through prayers by others, inherit blessing from previous family generations, or be blessed in other ways as God chooses. Every blessing accumulates and will be fulfilled at its time. Furthermore, blessing and punishment can coexist as parallel promises of God and do not trade-off against each other.
Every person will have opportunities to receive independent blessing based on God’s conditional promise, dependent blessing that God grants to a person in response to prayers by others, inherited blessing from previous family generations, or other blessing that God grants as he chooses.
Every blessing is a promise to be fulfilled at its time, for the person directly or through offspring generations (e.g., “but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments” [Exodus 20:6]). As we discuss previously under Parallel Promises—in David-Bathsheba Relationship, blessing and punishment can coexist as parallel promises of God. They do not trade-off against each other. Each will be fulfilled separately when God chooses. A person that previously earned blessing could incur punishment. Also, a person can earn blessing even with a promise of punishment hanging on him or her.
For example, the Moabites displeased God by presenting themselves as a source of temptation for alternative worship among descendants of Israel. Furthermore, they presented enmity when their prior relationships with Israel called on them to be friendly (see more under Enduring Blessing—Lessons from Israelite-Moabite Interactions). God frowned on their behavior and prohibited descendants of Israel from intermingling with Moabites. Yet he chose Ruth, a Moabite daughter, as a parental link in the lineage of the Messiah.
We discuss the various opportunities to earn and accumulate blessing. Also, we discuss an example from David to illustrate coexistence and fulfillment of blessing and punishment as parallel promises of God.
Earning Blessing
God creates every person with opportunities to earn independent blessing. This is blessing earned by completing responsibility as God’s representative in human interactions. Independent blessing is based on God’s conditional promise, which Christ proclaims in the Beatitudes and explains through parables, such as the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. Also, a person can earn dependent blessing, whereby God grants blessing to him or her in response to prayers by others. Thus, the blessing is dependent on another person’s relationship with God. A person also may inherit blessing from previous family relationships. The blessing in this category is earned by a previous generation of the family and fulfilled in a later generation. Additionally, God may bless a person at any time as he chooses.
Independent Blessing
A person earns and accumulates blessing for every human interaction that fulfills God’s purpose. Such blessing is independent of any other person and is based only on God’s conditional promise proclaimed in the Beatitudes and explained in parables. Every person has full and individual control to earn independent blessing through positive human interactions. Perform your responsibility as God’s representative among others, and he will bless you as he promised.
HUMILITY You earn blessing for humility toward others: when your interaction with others conveys promise of care, diligence, appreciation, and obedience to the authority of others.
COMPASSION You earn blessing for desire to be good to others and sensitivity to the needs of others: when you recognize the needs of others, are motivated by care to commit to doing what you can, and persevere in seeking to alleviate the need. The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:34–40) explains God’s promise of blessing for compassion.
MOTIVATION FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS You are blessed for committing to God’s purpose and seeking righteousness because of the commitment.
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY You are blessed for understanding your individual responsibility for peace and righteousness and living accordingly, irrespective of what others do or fail to do.
As we discuss previously under Human Responsibilities in Living in the Image of God, you earn and accumulate independent blessing every time you do this.
Other Opportunities to Earn Blessing
In addition to the opportunities for independent blessing, a person could accumulate blessing through other opportunities.
DEPENDENT BLESSING This is blessing dependent on others, when God grants blessing to a person in response to a prayer by another person.
INHERITED BLESSING This is blessing earned by previous family generations but fulfilled in their offspring. We discuss an example from David subsequently.
OTHER BLESSING God may grant blessing to a person for any reason at any time.
Examples from David
David inherited blessing through God’s promise to Abraham: “…and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed…” [Genesis 22:18]. The blessing was passed to David through several generations via his grandfather Obed and father Jesse [Ruth 4:17]: “The women living there said, ‘Naomi has a son!’ And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.” Later, the blessing was passed to David’s offspring through his son Solomon.
Additionally, David earned blessing for his life service. The promise of blessing was proclaimed to him by Prophet Nathan: “When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom” [2 Samuel 7:12].
Furthermore, earlier in his reign as king, David incurred punishment for seducing Bathsheba, killing her husband in a cover-up attempt, and, overall, for covetousness. God proclaimed the promise of punishment to David through Prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 12:1–14). As we discuss previously under Parallel Promises—in David-Bathsheba Relationship, the punishment was fulfilled but did not prevent or diminish the blessing he earned or inherited.
This experience of David illustrates that blessing and punishment are parallel promises of God. They can coexist but do not override each other. Every blessing will be fulfilled at its time, irrespective of any incurred punishment. Also, incurred punishment will be fulfilled at its time, irrespective of any accumulated blessing. However, God may forgive a promise of punishment if the person repents and asks for forgiveness.
Summary of What We Learned
God creates every person with opportunities to earn independent blessing by completing responsibilities as his representative in human interactions; based on conditional promise proclaimed in the Beatitudes and explained through parables. Additionally, a person can receive dependent blessing through prayers by others, inherit blessing from previous family generations, or be blessed in other ways as God chooses.
Every blessing accumulates and will be fulfilled at its time. Furthermore, blessing and punishment can coexist as parallel promises of God and do not trade-off against each other.