Jacob
2009-08-18 01:18:05 UTC
It is emphasised often that we are saved by grace through faith and
not by our good works (Ep.2:8,9). We are encouraged to come to Jesus
just as we are because He loves us and we don't have wait and clean up
first before we go to Him. It is a miracle of grace that God accepts
us at that point because we are all messed up within us, and there are
so many things in us that are abhorrent to God (Ro.5:8;4:5). This is
such a powerful truth of God's acceptance that our whole mind gets
liberated once we 'see' this. Many Christians live a joyless life
because they have not understood this.
What should also be emphasised is the truth that it is on the same
basis that we have access to God even after we have come to God! We
can access God boldly now, fully confident of acceptance and without
fear of rejection, on the basis of 'just as we are!' This is because
the basis of our acceptance is still, even after we have become God's
children, the blood of Jesus Christ and not some acceptable level of
behaviour (He.10:19-22). When the devil accuses us after we have
fallen into some sin or made a blunder, he tries to hide this fact
from us and highlight how bad we are. This is one place where we need
to learn to fight the 'fight of faith,' hold on to God's truth and put
aside our feelings and reasonings.
Think of what happens when we try to pray. Do we go straightaway into
God's presence and start talking to Him? Or do we hesitate wondering
if our life is at an acceptable level before God? Certainly if the
Holy Spirit reminds us of something that needs to be set right that is
the first thing that needs to be attended to (Mt.5:23,24). But the
issue I am addressing here is whether there is a struggle inside
wondering if we are acceptable to God or not. If it is there it shows
that we have not yet become rooted and grounded in the knowledge of
God's acceptance through grace! At that point we are still switching
to finding our acceptance on the basis of our own righteousness. And
that is impossible.
What about thinking that maybe if we ask some godly person to pray it
would have better results than if we prayed? We seem to have lost
confidence in our acceptance! We think it is our level of godliness
and not the blood of the Lamb that decides our acceptance!
How the devil can keep us down and make us ineffective in God's
kingdom through these tactics! In spite of the fact that we have been
redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and everything wrong with us has
been wiped clean in God's eyes to the extent that it is as if they
never existed we are practically living as if it never happened! Paul
would have said, "You foolish Christians!"
Yes, surely we should not forget about our accountability towards God,
take grace for granted and live as we please. But we must not play
that into the hands of the devil and allow him to keep us bound. Let
us live and enjoy the life Jesus has purchased for us.
not by our good works (Ep.2:8,9). We are encouraged to come to Jesus
just as we are because He loves us and we don't have wait and clean up
first before we go to Him. It is a miracle of grace that God accepts
us at that point because we are all messed up within us, and there are
so many things in us that are abhorrent to God (Ro.5:8;4:5). This is
such a powerful truth of God's acceptance that our whole mind gets
liberated once we 'see' this. Many Christians live a joyless life
because they have not understood this.
What should also be emphasised is the truth that it is on the same
basis that we have access to God even after we have come to God! We
can access God boldly now, fully confident of acceptance and without
fear of rejection, on the basis of 'just as we are!' This is because
the basis of our acceptance is still, even after we have become God's
children, the blood of Jesus Christ and not some acceptable level of
behaviour (He.10:19-22). When the devil accuses us after we have
fallen into some sin or made a blunder, he tries to hide this fact
from us and highlight how bad we are. This is one place where we need
to learn to fight the 'fight of faith,' hold on to God's truth and put
aside our feelings and reasonings.
Think of what happens when we try to pray. Do we go straightaway into
God's presence and start talking to Him? Or do we hesitate wondering
if our life is at an acceptable level before God? Certainly if the
Holy Spirit reminds us of something that needs to be set right that is
the first thing that needs to be attended to (Mt.5:23,24). But the
issue I am addressing here is whether there is a struggle inside
wondering if we are acceptable to God or not. If it is there it shows
that we have not yet become rooted and grounded in the knowledge of
God's acceptance through grace! At that point we are still switching
to finding our acceptance on the basis of our own righteousness. And
that is impossible.
What about thinking that maybe if we ask some godly person to pray it
would have better results than if we prayed? We seem to have lost
confidence in our acceptance! We think it is our level of godliness
and not the blood of the Lamb that decides our acceptance!
How the devil can keep us down and make us ineffective in God's
kingdom through these tactics! In spite of the fact that we have been
redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and everything wrong with us has
been wiped clean in God's eyes to the extent that it is as if they
never existed we are practically living as if it never happened! Paul
would have said, "You foolish Christians!"
Yes, surely we should not forget about our accountability towards God,
take grace for granted and live as we please. But we must not play
that into the hands of the devil and allow him to keep us bound. Let
us live and enjoy the life Jesus has purchased for us.