Christmas Story Part 1: "To Cause To Be"

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Luke 2:1-3

It came to pass: "to cause to be"
Went out: to be made known, declared

Decree: ordinance; public law

Caesar Augustus: a title of the Roman emperor

World: equivalent to the Roman empire

Registered: to enter in the public records the names of men, their property, and income, to enroll

Census: an enrollment; by implication, an assessment- a taxing

took place: to be made, done, finished; to be established, enacted; implying a certain action

Quirinius: Roman governor of Syria

Governing: to be/act as governor of a province

Went: to pursue the journey (with a purpose) on which one has entered

Registered: tax, enroll

Everyone: when it denotes individually, every one of many

To cause to be.
I'm sure that everyone did not like the inconvenience of traveling and the idea of registering to be taxed. Yet, there was a divine purpose for that inconvenience — God's Word had to be fulfilled. Mary and Joseph had to be in Bethlehem so that Christ would be born as was told in Micah 5:2

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.”

To cause to be. 
Looking back on my life, I see times when I was required to do something, that I didn't particularly like at that time. However, now I can see the reasons and have a greater understanding of why God did what He did. 

To cause to be. 
God does have control and does people to accomplish His will. Yet, we also are given a choice to accept God as our Lord and Savior or not. 

God's gift of Salvation is free.
God's gift of Salvation is available. 
God's gift of Salvation has an eternal warranty! 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Proverbs 2:21-22: Opposites

For the upright will dwell in the land, and the blameless will remain in it;

But the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the unfaithful will be uprooted from it. Proverbs 2:21-22

These two verses are about contrast. Upright vs Wicked and Blameless vs Unfaithful. 

Upright: that which is right, pleasing in the eyes of, agreeable to God

Wicked: one guilty of crime, deserving punishment; guilty of hostility to God

Blameless: wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity: of God's way

Unfaithful: act or deal treacherously, faithlessly, deceitfully

Agreeable to God vs Hostile to God. Integrity vs Deceit. Opposites. And each is a choice as to the Verbs and modifiers you choose. 

My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you... Proverbs 2:1. Receive and Treasure God's words of wisdom....

Who rejoice in doing evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, and who are devious in their paths. Proverbs 2:14, 15 Rejoice in doing evil, delight in perversion.....

Contrast. Opposites. Choices. Actions and Results. Cause and Effect. 

Which group to you fall under? Upright or wicked? Blameless or Unfaithful. Remember you are to using your own personal standard to decide. The standard is set by God. 

When one fears God and has a heart permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31) then the choice will be to listen to Wisdom and act in accordance with God's Word. 

Cause-Effect

As you have therefore received Christ, [even] Jesus the Lord, [so] walk (regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union with and conformity to Him. Colossians 2:6 (AMP)

Cause-Effect. Having accepted Jesus Christ as THE Lord, then the result should be a life that is lived in accordance with Him and His Word. Sounds simple enough. 

The word for "Walk" means to continue walking; carry into practice the Christ-unified life in your walk. It's a continual action. It's not "I'm saved—period, so I'll live my life as I please." 

If I truly recognize Jesus Christ as THE LORD, the Messiah, the Son of God—then that should have an effect on how I live. 

Unity. One. Not at odds. 

How do I conform to Jesus Christ? How is that unity created? It begins at the moment of trust Jesus Christ as my Savior. Then I am to continue to get to know Christ through reading His Word, so that I can live a life that honors and glorifies God. 

Cause-Effect. To conduct myself in conformity to Christ, I must be permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31; MSG).