Good day, Mdm!
Well, what a journey! We've come a long way. We've been sharing quite a bit and I thought this week we should just go through quickly the key points. There is no point we flood ourselves with thousands of points (7 ways to be..., 10 secrets to ...., 5 steps to...),. All these could be well and good, but the moment when we start to focus on all these points, we are re-directing the focus on ourselves (self-conscious). Our focus should always be on Jesus and Him alone as a Christian. And I believe being a Christian should not be so complicated to the point of knowing the 7 steps or 10 ways or whatsoever. Focus on Jesus, plain and simple. Amen!
Our foundation is when we believe in Jesus, we are made righteous with God. His blood (free from tainted sin, we talk about this last week) was shed so that our sins are cleansed. We are make righteous because our sins were bored by Jesus at the cross. Sins were removed when we accepted Jesus as our Savior. So that, today we can stand boldly before God and receive His unmerited, undeserved favor and blessings. Amen! And when we look at the cross, we see how God is deeply in love with us. Because He did not withhold His Son, His only Son, the Son that He love to die on the cross for us. The Bible says that if God who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all--how will God not also, along with Jesus, graciously give us ALL things? Amen! Hallelujah!
But I don't feel good today? I've just scolded the taxi driver for making such a huge detour.... I don't feel right, I think God is not happy about this... Let's not confuse ourselves about our standing with God and our state. A baby who will inherit the wealth of his father may not be in the state of growing or investing or running a business with the wealth, but the standing still remain he will inherit the wealth of his father.
Our standing with God will NEVER change. Jesus has FINISHED the work. He alone has bored ALL our sins past, present & future. God no longer look at our sins today, He can't. If He punished us for our sins today, He will be unjust! How can our sins be punished when ALL have been dealt with at the cross 2000 years ago? Assuming, just assuming there is this possibly for someone to go to jail on your behalf for committing a crime. Assuming, that person went to jail on your behalf for 5 years. After 5 years, that person was released from prison. Question: Can the judge come to you and put you in prison for another 5 years for the same crime you committed 5 years ago? Of course NOT, because that will make the judge unjust since he is trying to punish the same crime twice, one on that person and one on you!
Likewise, today, when God look at us , He see Jesus. All our sins were punished on the cross. We may feel lousy today or feel sinful (our state), it does not change our standing as righteous in God's eye! Won't we sin more when we known we are forgiven? No, because when we know we are forgiven , we are empowered not to sin. The Bible says those who knew they are forgiven much, LOVE much (and NOT sin much).
Let's look at this story... John 8:2-11
2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
Here, it talks about this woman caught in adultery. The Pharisees purposely brought her before Jesus to test Him. If Jesus said stone her, it would defeat His purpose of preaching Grace and if He said don't stone her, the Pharisees would accused Him of not following Mose's law.
Look how Jesus (of great wisdom) answered to them:" He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." And then, one by one left the scene.
Only Jesus and the woman left. But we know Jesus was qualified to throw the stone at her! Notice the Pharisees "They would if they could but they could not." And Jesus "He could if He would but He would not!" Hallelujah!
Now watch carefully what Jesus said to the woman:' Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more." Jesus offered her the forgiveness first (Grace) and told her to sin no more. Very often in the world today, they will tell you go and sin no more then they will forgive you. They got it upside down!
God want us to forgive first and then sin no more. Those who know they are forgiven much, LOVE much! God knew Grace is the answer to the fallen world. Grace is the antidote to bondage and sins. That's why He sent His Son (Grace) so that His blood cleansed our sins (forgiven) and empowered us to sin no more! Because whoever know they are forgiven much, love much! Amen! Hallelujah!
With that,I leave you with this verse 1 John 2:15-16
"15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. "
Notice this phrase "love of the Father" and not "love for the Father". That mean it is not about how much we love God, but it is about knowing how much He love us! When we focus on our love for Him, we become self-focus. When we focus on how much He love us, it is Jesus-focus.
Grace & peace be with you!
Shalom,
Bro
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