So how do we feel about the fact that our God loves us unconditionally?
Feels wonderful doesn't it! Like a great big weight off our shoulders.
Feels wonderful doesn't it! Like a great big weight off our shoulders. - No more worrying about whether or not we're doing enough to please Him.
- No longer questioning our Right Standing With Him.
But does this love give us the license to do whatever we want - in the surety that God loves us unconditionally, no matter what.
Yes, indeed it does.
For once we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, we ceased to operate in the realm of law and sin. We've been operating in the realm of Grace - Righteousness - freedom from the law and sin, ever since we gave our lives to Christ. Many just haven't realised it yet.
So does this mean we can sin as much as we want, in the knowledge of who and what we are?
Indeed it does.
But here's the amazing thing about the miraculous power of God's grace.
Indeed it does.
But here's the amazing thing about the miraculous power of God's grace.
His grace gives us the desire and power to do what is right - not by our power but by the power of Christ in us.
Check out this paradox.
On one side you have your old self, trying desperately to please God, and to attain Right Standing With Him by Focusing on doing what is right - not sinning, paying your tithes, paying your offering, giving to the poor and needy etc etc; basically doing all the things that you believe will please God.
But as a result of working tirelessly to do what is right, what you are really doing is working tirelessly to avoid sin, or upsetting God. There is of-course nothing wrong with this. Indeed it is most admirable. But the more you focus on avoiding sin the stronger its' pull becomes. Also the thought of constantly focusing on not doing anything wrong sounds rather exhausting don't you think?!
Can you relate?
On the other side you have your new self; relaxed and assured in the unconditional love of God. As this knowledge grows, the revelation of who you are - an unconditionally loved, and Righteous child of God - begins to wax stronger with each passing day. All the while you begin to think less and less of having to avoid sin; and instead become more and more aware of who you actually are.
This is why we are told that we were not given a ''spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind''.
It is the recognition and acceptance of God's unconditional love that enables and empowers us to overcome our challenges.
Let's put it this way - fear (of sin, and of whether or not God loves you) doesn't exactly lead to having a sound mind does it??!!
Today's Two Verses
- ''For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.'' -Ephesians 1 vs 4
Was it as a result of our good works that He chose us?
Or was it as a result of our efforts to attain Right Standing With Him that He chose us?
Nope.
He chose us before we had even done anything.
2. ''In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the one he loves.'' -Ephesians 1 vs 4 -5
2. ''In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the one he loves.'' -Ephesians 1 vs 4 -5
The important words to take note of here are 'Predestined' and 'Freely'.
There is no-one that doesn't fail from time to time. God knows this. That's why Jesus died for you. And despite your failings, God predestined you to be adopted as His child. He did this out of his unconditional love for you, and gifted you His Righteousness 'freely'.
I love this Section "There is no-one that doesn't fail from time to time. God knows this. That's why Jesus died for you. And despite your failings, God predestined you to be adopted as His child. He did this out of his unconditional love for you, and gifted you His Righteousness 'freely"
ReplyDeleteSomeone said to me sometime ago in my local church "You have been adopted"
ReplyDeleteI made her repeat it every single time I see her in church,
I didnt understood what she meant at that time but the Truth is, I feel Gods attention more than before.
Something else still intrigues me. I had a dream and in that dream I lived a sinful life.
On my way to see a girl, I saw something that amazed me. On her front door was written "GRACE IS NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE"
In that dream, the girl's name was Grace but when I woke up, I understood that statement means more than the dream.
Without Gods grace, We can do nothing!
ReplyDeleteTo believe the deception that forgiveness, through Christ’s blood, permits people to freely break the law is hypocrisy. It not only insults God, and the intelligence of His Master Plan, it ignores the following extensive series of verses in James 2. These plain verses explain how law, sin, faith and works fit together.
ReplyDeleteConsider this longer passage carefully: “What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?…Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone…I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils [demons] also believe, and tremble. But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? See you how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?…You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (vs. 14, 17-22, 24).
"We've been operating in the realm of Grace - Righteousness - freedom from the law and sin, ever since we gave our lives to Christ" - I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT.
ReplyDeleteRomans 6:15 - 16 "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
Romans 6:1-2 "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"
1 John 2:4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.
Jesus never taught that people should just “believe on Him” to receive salvation. When a young rich man asked Him what he must do to have “eternal life”—receive salvation—Christ told him, “If you will enter into life, keep the commandments.”
matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.