Jacob
2009-03-25 23:54:33 UTC
Many Christians are not clear about their spiritual foundation, and so
have no surety regarding their eternal salvation. They hope that God
will show them mercy on the final day because He is like that, they
have not been such bad sinners, He will remember the good things they
have done, etc. In this way they live in uncertainty not knowing about
how it will actually turn out. But this is because they have not
understood or experienced grace that Jesus came with. God wants us to
know that we have eternal life, now (1Jn.5:13). Do you know that in in
your heart?
The Old Testament amply demonstrated that man does not have it in
himself to keep God's commandments (Ro.8:3). All those who imagine
that they can find acceptance with God by living a good life are
mistaken, because they neither know God's standards nor their own
weakness (Ro.3:20). God knew this already, but He went through the Old
Testament to convince us people before He came out with the New
Testament (new covenant). But many people have not 'seen' just what
God is offering through the new covenant.
What can bridge the gap between God's lofty moral standards and man's
weakness? Grace. Through grace God accepts us sinners just as though
we were saints without any sin (Ro.5:8-10). When He washes us with the
blood of Jesus Christ, our record of sins becomes white like snow (Is.
1:18). All God asks us to do is to admit that we are sinners (who do
not deserve this grace) (Je.3:13), turn from our sins and believe that
it was for our sins that Jesus died (Ac.2:38;1Jn.2:2). What God is
doing is expressing His immeasurable love for us whom He has created,
recognising our helplessness in being unable to reach up to His
standards, taking His own initiative in suffering the punishment for
our sins and offering His free acceptance to those who will humbly
receive it as a gift.
Now there are two types of resistance coming up against this offer.
Religiously minded people typified by the Jews, who are used to
working for and earning their acceptance from God, think it is unfair
for God to offer it free, and rationally oriented people typified by
the Greeks, think it is illogical that Jesus dying on the cross can
have anything to do with our acceptance (1Co.1:23). But honest, humble
people can recognise that they could not have been saved any other
way, and God could not have done anything better.
When we have come through this narrow gate and found that it opened to
the eternal riches that God has prepared for us, we realise how
foolish we had been to despise it earlier. On the inside of the gate
we find unconditional acceptance from our Father, forgiveness for our
sins, an intimate relationship with the Father, Son and the Holy
Spirit, transformation of our nature into that of Christ, fellowship
with others walking with us on this new path, help for all our needs,
etc. How blessed are those who have found this way!
have no surety regarding their eternal salvation. They hope that God
will show them mercy on the final day because He is like that, they
have not been such bad sinners, He will remember the good things they
have done, etc. In this way they live in uncertainty not knowing about
how it will actually turn out. But this is because they have not
understood or experienced grace that Jesus came with. God wants us to
know that we have eternal life, now (1Jn.5:13). Do you know that in in
your heart?
The Old Testament amply demonstrated that man does not have it in
himself to keep God's commandments (Ro.8:3). All those who imagine
that they can find acceptance with God by living a good life are
mistaken, because they neither know God's standards nor their own
weakness (Ro.3:20). God knew this already, but He went through the Old
Testament to convince us people before He came out with the New
Testament (new covenant). But many people have not 'seen' just what
God is offering through the new covenant.
What can bridge the gap between God's lofty moral standards and man's
weakness? Grace. Through grace God accepts us sinners just as though
we were saints without any sin (Ro.5:8-10). When He washes us with the
blood of Jesus Christ, our record of sins becomes white like snow (Is.
1:18). All God asks us to do is to admit that we are sinners (who do
not deserve this grace) (Je.3:13), turn from our sins and believe that
it was for our sins that Jesus died (Ac.2:38;1Jn.2:2). What God is
doing is expressing His immeasurable love for us whom He has created,
recognising our helplessness in being unable to reach up to His
standards, taking His own initiative in suffering the punishment for
our sins and offering His free acceptance to those who will humbly
receive it as a gift.
Now there are two types of resistance coming up against this offer.
Religiously minded people typified by the Jews, who are used to
working for and earning their acceptance from God, think it is unfair
for God to offer it free, and rationally oriented people typified by
the Greeks, think it is illogical that Jesus dying on the cross can
have anything to do with our acceptance (1Co.1:23). But honest, humble
people can recognise that they could not have been saved any other
way, and God could not have done anything better.
When we have come through this narrow gate and found that it opened to
the eternal riches that God has prepared for us, we realise how
foolish we had been to despise it earlier. On the inside of the gate
we find unconditional acceptance from our Father, forgiveness for our
sins, an intimate relationship with the Father, Son and the Holy
Spirit, transformation of our nature into that of Christ, fellowship
with others walking with us on this new path, help for all our needs,
etc. How blessed are those who have found this way!