Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Here is a dictionary listing of the meanings of credence.

1. acceptance: acceptance based on the degree to which something is believable
2. trustworthiness: the power to inspire belief or trust
3. church table for bread and wine: a small shelf or table in a church where the bread, wine, and containers used for Communion are kept

I didn’t see the third one coming. I didn’t know that. I like it. Sometimes that is the way we receive things. We don’t know everything, or at least we should not act like we know everything. In the first definition, credence is given based on human capacity to accept.

The reason I quoted Romans 11:25 is because there are mysteries out there. You may gain access to those mysteries but to overcome the preconceptions you must first release the conceits of your own mind, to take your blinders off. You must rely on your own capacity to believe and not accept what everyone else wants you to believe. This scripture also warns us that it is “in part”. Not everyone will have the capacity to give credence to the truth. It will remain that way until the end of the church age, until the fullness of the Gentiles is complete. It is an individual’s responsibility to give credence.

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Can you give credence to this statement? I did. So did millions of others. We are not in the majority, but it is your responsibility to examine yourself and find out if you have the capacity to believe. Giving credence is up to you.

John 17:21 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

As we close out this week of evolution I would like to use this movie term, it’s a wrap, to make my summation. It best describes the life I have led. Perhaps you can relate to it.

I am an actor, I play a role. Some scenes get shot over and over again until I get it right. Rarely do I get it right on the first take. When I do I have to give thanks to my preparation for the role, knowing my lines. When I am finished with my part I will wait for the wrap party. Others played their parts along beside me. I did not play these scenes alone.

Movies are not finished when the wrap part begins. There is scoring the movie, editing, special effects, and the all important credits. When we get to see the finished work, we will see how our parts fit into the movie to make it the masterpiece that it will be. We have but a part.

This week I have been writing about the evolution of the body, the soul and the spirit. We do not progress from one role to the next. Even though we change, even though we become a new creature, even though we have been given a quickening spirit, we are all still three parts. We need to acknowledge the provisions God has made for each part, not like a three act play that when one is over we begin the next act. Neglecting one part drains energy away from the other parts. We need to care for all three in accordance with God’s design, will and purpose.

Isaiah 40:20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.

Otherwise we will become nothing more than part of the set upon which the play was acted, unmoved. Like the faceless crowd that never got a line to speak in the movie. They do not get invited to the wrap party. (ref. Matthew 22 parable of the wedding party)