When my present life is continually affected by my past I unknowingly invite the past brokenness to live in my present life.
I may feel powerless to keep it out of the present- that too is past brokenness living in my present life. Where does this powerlessness come from? It is from living a passive life. I may recognize the broken condition of my past. I may even recognize the effect it has on my present life. I think to myself that time heals hurts. But... through tacit consent... hurts, grief, disappointments are empowered to live and affect my present life.
The term "tacit" has important implications legally in our society. Our laws recognize tacit consent (implied agreement without being stated) as an actual, legally binding understanding between two individuals or parties. This tacit consent provides a binding contract, even though it is not written or spoken explicitly, as long as contract law does not require a written agreement. When confronted with tacit consent I may be surprised, even outraged, and say, "I never agreed to this!" This is why it's so important to recognize the tacit agreements I've lived out in my life without realizing it.
Legally, tacit consent's binding power leads to a tacit agreement. The enemy of our lives knows this. He finds empowerment into lives through the old law. As long as I am not cognizant of the power of tacit consent I am open to the influence of past wounds. I passively live my life of frustration. The tacit agreements remind me constantly of my shortcomings, frustrations and hurts. I begin to get a sense that this is who I am. That this is all my life can be. The tacit agreements remain hidden until I step out of a passive life. Otherwise, I'll never understand why life is so difficult.
I do have power over these tacit agreements.
These agreements can be broken. The contracts can be deemed null and void. The power of the cross has made this possible. The empty cross is the defining moment when the power of the old law, and it's required payment of death, was satisfied. The Christ, Jesus, became the full payment. There's a new contract, written in his blood, sealed with his death, and activated with his resurrection that freed me from any contract that is written under the old law. This unsurpassable love agreement supersedes all others. It encompasses all the law of the past and re-writes it with new terms. The great symbol of this new contract, this new covenant is the cross. The cross is Father-God's great act of satisfying the terms and conditions of the old law. Since the law is satisfied then the tacit agreements I enter into through passive living are not legally binding. But... If I don't know that... then I make myself subject to an outdated agreement that has been superseded by a new and better agreement. This is why it is important for me to live out the mandate found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke- Jesus said, "if anyone would come after me he must deny himself, pick up his cross, and follow me."
The power I have in my present life to keep the past in the past is the power of the cross. To understand that the cross means Christ died as me... not just for me... but ...as me... is to understand that I have a power within my life that can pull back the past brokenness and heal it to keep it's effects in the past. All tacit agreements under the old law are null and void!
My response is to quit being passive- To deny myself and to declare.
Deny any empowerment of the old consent I lived under. Declare it null and void. Deny any tacit agreements I lived under. Declare those agreements null and void. Then, I deny those tacit consents and agreements access to my life by taking up my cross.
My cross is my personal copy of the new covenant.
It is not a tacit agreement. It is an active agreement. It was intentionally written and agreed upon by both parties and sealed by both parties. Jesus sealed it with his own blood. I sealed it by declaration and then, I buried my old life through baptism. All these are intentional acts.
Knowing that the old agreements are null and void I can declare that they are no longer binding. Each time I find an old tacit agreement I can nail it to my personal copy of the new covenant, my cross, and walk through the process of becoming free from it forever! My life changes from a passive life to an active life. Intentionality provides a proactive life that flushes out these old agreements. I find I have a deeper understanding of my identity.
I also begin to live an authentic life with others. Not just with "Christians". I can live authentically at all times with all people.
When the hidden tacit agreements are exposed and removed then I find I don't need to hide who I am anymore. Much of the brokenness, frustration, anger, etc... that used to haunt me are put to rest. I may still have frustrations. I may still find more brokenness to work through. The big difference, the "game changer" is this- the power of the agreement is removed so I am free to process through them without fear of destroying myself or someone else. That which kept me under a set of rules and agreements by tacit consent no longer has a contract that I am subject to.
I have chosen to be subject to a covenant that values and gives honor to all who enter into it. With purpose I deny myself, pick up my cross, and follow the path that Jesus has for me. It is the path of life. It is the path of my identity. It is where I can fully be who Papagod intended me to be.
I may feel powerless to keep it out of the present- that too is past brokenness living in my present life. Where does this powerlessness come from? It is from living a passive life. I may recognize the broken condition of my past. I may even recognize the effect it has on my present life. I think to myself that time heals hurts. But... through tacit consent... hurts, grief, disappointments are empowered to live and affect my present life.
The term "tacit" has important implications legally in our society. Our laws recognize tacit consent (implied agreement without being stated) as an actual, legally binding understanding between two individuals or parties. This tacit consent provides a binding contract, even though it is not written or spoken explicitly, as long as contract law does not require a written agreement. When confronted with tacit consent I may be surprised, even outraged, and say, "I never agreed to this!" This is why it's so important to recognize the tacit agreements I've lived out in my life without realizing it.
Legally, tacit consent's binding power leads to a tacit agreement. The enemy of our lives knows this. He finds empowerment into lives through the old law. As long as I am not cognizant of the power of tacit consent I am open to the influence of past wounds. I passively live my life of frustration. The tacit agreements remind me constantly of my shortcomings, frustrations and hurts. I begin to get a sense that this is who I am. That this is all my life can be. The tacit agreements remain hidden until I step out of a passive life. Otherwise, I'll never understand why life is so difficult.
I do have power over these tacit agreements.
- The first step is to recognize that they are here in my life.
- The next step is to recognize that they are always active and I cannot live a life of passivity.
These agreements can be broken. The contracts can be deemed null and void. The power of the cross has made this possible. The empty cross is the defining moment when the power of the old law, and it's required payment of death, was satisfied. The Christ, Jesus, became the full payment. There's a new contract, written in his blood, sealed with his death, and activated with his resurrection that freed me from any contract that is written under the old law. This unsurpassable love agreement supersedes all others. It encompasses all the law of the past and re-writes it with new terms. The great symbol of this new contract, this new covenant is the cross. The cross is Father-God's great act of satisfying the terms and conditions of the old law. Since the law is satisfied then the tacit agreements I enter into through passive living are not legally binding. But... If I don't know that... then I make myself subject to an outdated agreement that has been superseded by a new and better agreement. This is why it is important for me to live out the mandate found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke- Jesus said, "if anyone would come after me he must deny himself, pick up his cross, and follow me."
The power I have in my present life to keep the past in the past is the power of the cross. To understand that the cross means Christ died as me... not just for me... but ...as me... is to understand that I have a power within my life that can pull back the past brokenness and heal it to keep it's effects in the past. All tacit agreements under the old law are null and void!
My response is to quit being passive- To deny myself and to declare.
Deny any empowerment of the old consent I lived under. Declare it null and void. Deny any tacit agreements I lived under. Declare those agreements null and void. Then, I deny those tacit consents and agreements access to my life by taking up my cross.
My cross is my personal copy of the new covenant.
It is not a tacit agreement. It is an active agreement. It was intentionally written and agreed upon by both parties and sealed by both parties. Jesus sealed it with his own blood. I sealed it by declaration and then, I buried my old life through baptism. All these are intentional acts.
Knowing that the old agreements are null and void I can declare that they are no longer binding. Each time I find an old tacit agreement I can nail it to my personal copy of the new covenant, my cross, and walk through the process of becoming free from it forever! My life changes from a passive life to an active life. Intentionality provides a proactive life that flushes out these old agreements. I find I have a deeper understanding of my identity.
I also begin to live an authentic life with others. Not just with "Christians". I can live authentically at all times with all people.
When the hidden tacit agreements are exposed and removed then I find I don't need to hide who I am anymore. Much of the brokenness, frustration, anger, etc... that used to haunt me are put to rest. I may still have frustrations. I may still find more brokenness to work through. The big difference, the "game changer" is this- the power of the agreement is removed so I am free to process through them without fear of destroying myself or someone else. That which kept me under a set of rules and agreements by tacit consent no longer has a contract that I am subject to.
I have chosen to be subject to a covenant that values and gives honor to all who enter into it. With purpose I deny myself, pick up my cross, and follow the path that Jesus has for me. It is the path of life. It is the path of my identity. It is where I can fully be who Papagod intended me to be.
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