Now the citizens of Mansheart were divided. Some desired to leave all behind, forsake the tyrant, and follow the Great One. Some believed that he had indeed made them and that certainly he had sacrificed to deliver them from the great lie and the tyranny that had such a strong hold on their city. For a long time citizens of the city named True-Reason, Mans-Knowledge, Understand-Well, Much-Wisdom, Conscience, Feel-good and Willing (Willing as their leader) debated the course of the city, Mansheart being chief men of the city. Would they follow the Great One or continue to serve their current tyrant. They knew they were at a crossroads and did not take the decision lightly. Some vain persons in the city wanted to continue to follow the dictator who ruled over them, reminding others of all the delights and treasures that their ruler afforded them. Others of more sober character understood that the pleasures given them by their ruler were temporal and leading only to death, but also warned that following the Great One would not be easy. Skirmishes and fear was breaking out across the city, all because of the Law Book read by the Tinker and the Good News of the Great One’s plan of rescue, as well as the obvious internal debates.
At this juncture in our story, it would probably be well advised to introduce you to the Tyrant who ruled this city, we have alluded to him much. He was a native of the city, having been in the city from the first construction. He carries with him a long and infamous connection to ancestors that entered this world when the first parents believed the great lie. He cares nothing for cities he inhabits (and his kin inhabits all cities) and his only goal is to bind the chief men of the city and all the subjects under his demands. He blinds the inhabitants of Mansheart under his control causing his mark to be seen in all the people of the city. He goes by many names, but the most descriptive name of all is “All-Depravity.” Knowing that Willing is the greatest of the men of the city, All-Depravity, that old tyrant, especially entices him to serve with fidelity promising him the greatest of delights and threatening him with severe punishments in order to keep Willing’s allegiance. All-Depravity has generals who do his bidding- Lust-Much, Onlyself, and others as well, but the greatest general who runs the secret intelligence is a man named simply Flesh. Flesh and the generals of the tyrant are citizens of the city Mansheart but they are loyal only to their dictator. They were not made by the Great One, but inflict the Great One’s creation horribly, and entered this world when All-Depravity did. They do their Tyrant’s bidding enforcing his rules, and keeping the city in general submission throughout the day.
But let us go back to our story of the city. As we said earlier, the citizens of Mansheart are in turmoil and great debates raged within them. Slowly, the citizens who had listened to the tinker and had believed the message of rescue taught in the Book, began to win over their fellow-citizens. First to believe was Feeling, Much-Wisdom; Conscience and True-Knowledge followed suit. Soon most everyone was believing and wanting to follow the Great One, not their tyrant. But they were frightened of the change and even pain that no doubt would take place if they left that “Old Man”– All-Depravity. The great holdout was the bondage of Willing to the service of All-Depravity and the threats he felt by General Flesh. But one glorious day, a Wind swept over Mansheart. It was a warm Wind, a Holy Wind from the East sent by the Great One. The city of Mansheart had done nothing to deserve the Great One’s Breath, this gracious Wind however, miraculously enlightened and comforted the citizens. But the greatest miracle was that old Willing, the one whom everyone followed the example of, came running out into the streets proclaiming loudly, “It is true! It is true! We must serve the Great One.” Tender-Spirit, a close relative of Willing filled with joy and happiness began to run from house to house encouraging all the citizens to pledge their loyalty to the Great One and his Son, for he had died for their city to rescue them from that Old Man, All-Depravity and to give them the grace to live forever with His Son. The citizens with one voice called out to the heavens pleading with the Great One to forgive them for their unfaithfulness, their unbelief and their attempts to build communities of worship and charity themselves. They confessed their crime of following All-Depravity and begged the Great One’s Son to deliver them from his power. At that moment, the doors of the city were broken open and the Son of the Great One boldly walked into the center of the city. He declared with loud voice, “Mansheart is mine and I will rule here forever!” The residents cheered, even Flesh and Lust-Much cheered half-heartedly, not because they were loyal to the Son, but because they feared the fiery gaze of the Son, being unable to withstand the power of his Word. But there was something else that the Son must do. He marched menacingly to the center of the city where All-Depravity had built his opulent home. He dragged that Old Man out of his home with great vengeance concerning how he had cruelly ruled. All-Depravity defiantly stood in the street. The Son read the list of sins and crimes All-Depravity had done against the Great One who made this city and thus declared him guilty. He then made a spectacle of All-Depravity executing him on a cross, just like the one that the Son himself had experienced many years ago. The residents cheered, “All-Depravity is dead, the Old Man is destroyed!” He would no longer exercise any authority over Mansheart for he was crucified with the Son of the Great One. The city began to at once praise the Great One and his Son, as well as offer the sacrifice of praise to HolySpirit who would reside now and forever in the center of the city in order to mark that city as won and owned by the Great One. HolySpirit would also rebuke the citizens like Willing, Conscience, True Wisdom and other chief men if they would cease to serve the Great One or forbear worshiping the Son. HolySpirit gifted the citizens with talents and abilities which would enable them to better serve the Great One and to tell other cities in the country of their rescue. HolySpirit also would empower the citizens of Mansheart to serve the Great One forever. He gave them his book of Good News and told them that they were to always allow it to guide all the citizens and to remind themselves daily of the great work accomplished by the Son on their behalf. HolySpirit would be the way they would have access to the Great One and they could and should avail themselves of such access at any time. Mansheart was impelled to associate with other cities in the country who had been won by the Son and to remember the Son through certain ordinances, being careful not to grieve or quench HolySpirit. The Great One, His Son, and HolySpirit being of the same essence and Divine being created a new leader in Mansheart, and simply called him “New-Man.” The Old Man of All-Depravity was dead, and New-Man would now rule with HolySpirit as his leader. But the greatest joy of all, was when a voice sounded from heaven, “Because it is finished, Mansheart is my righteous possession.” The citizens were filled with warmth and joy over that beautiful voice. And they would never be the same again. . . but the battle was not over. Lurking in the shadows Flesh, that old general of All-Depravity, and his generals had escaped the attention of the chief men of the city (of course they had not escaped the Son’s gaze nor HolySpirit, but for now, he was allowed to escape), but the citizens forgot he was even there. He would lick his wounds in a corner for a time, hiding in the dark shadows of Mansheart while he plotted his revenge. He knew he would need the help of those without the city to get his revenge. . . and in time get his revenge he would!
To be Continued…
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