ORIGINAL CHRISTIAN OIL PAINTINGS

Interpretation of the painting: This painting is correctly viewed from the view point that I have spiritually died to this world and am born again to a new reality, which is a life in Jesus Christ. This image must be viewed through the eyes of Jesus and it is only when we lift up our eyes to Christ in prayer that we can understand the meaning of this beatitude.

​

Background: I live a very prayerful and frugal lifestyle. This gives me plenty of time to ponder the big questions of what it means to live a life in Christ Jesus. The beatitudes are the guiding scripture that forms our behaviour as Christians. It is this understanding of scripture that calls us to a new and fuller life in Christ. So it is this calling that I responded to. To call all viewers to have a glimpse of what it means; blessed are those that mourn for they shall be comforted.

The journey: This beatitude that can be deceptively assumed as being fully understood. But when I approached this scripture in my prayers and then meditations I found a number of scriptures that seemingly were at odds with it. Jesus reminds us that we must separate ourselves from the unbelievers, meaning that the way we view our reality is different to those who do not believe. I understand that in our way of life I must try live in a way that emulates Christ. Our understanding must be in accordance with his. With this beatitude one could say; why did he say this, as even the unbelievers mourn their dead?

 This could be a very vexing problem until you look at through the eyes of Christ. In my opening paragraph I stated that I have spiritually died to this world and am born again to a new reality. This is the key.

When I pray and contemplate on God I realise that all who have not received the salvation of Christ are dead to this wonderful reality that awaits us. This world is now, and after, our mortal bodies have died.

To fully understand this image it is important to grasp the idea that everything that is grey scale is the worldly representation. Everything that is in full colour is new heavenly reality.

So after my prayers, meditations and contemplations I got my symbols and ordered them into a painting. The when satisfied that they were in accordance with scripture I began to paint.

​

The meaning of the painting: The basic image is of an elderly man sitting in a confessional booth confessing his sins. In the book that he is holding is his crib notes as to what sins he has committed. The inscription reads; Lord, you are my neighbour. In the gray scale background is a naked woman with her back to him. It can be difficult at times to see her.

Let’s look at the naked woman for a moment. She is in gray scale and accordingly represents the world outside of Christ. She represents my sins, and the sins of all who have not asked for forgiveness. It is sin that separates us from God. We mourn for all those who are not alive in Christ.

Now we look at the man in the confessional booth.

We mourn not only for those who have departed from this world, but we mourn for everything that leads away from God and towards death. There is only one person that leads to eternal life and that is Jesus. Hence the note in the portrait reads ‘Lord, you are my neighbour’. We mourn our sins which lead to death, we mourn for those who have not found Jesus and have not accepted his salvation. It is by our confession that we express our sorrow for our sins and the sins of the whole world. Our sins that ‘Our Lord’ died for on that unforgettable day on Calvary.

If we look closer at this man we will see that he is well dressed, but he has put on a bush jacket. This is an item of clothing that represents to him that he is a creature that God has raised up and now Christ Jesus calls him a friend and a brother. It reminds him how blessed he is.

It is only when we mourn in this way that we can respond to others in this material world the way that Christ would have us do. It is this way that we can begin to see Christ in all peoples.