Wednesday, July 7, 2010

God is NOT DEALING WITH US ON A SIN ISSUE..


...was the comment from the previous blog. So what, then? So we're forgiven and that's all?  No...it is important to understand the sin issue, but being forgiven is not the end of it. While mankind did need to be forgiven, we need something much more: Life. Not temporary life, but eternal life.
Jesus tells us that He came to give us life, and life more abundantly. (John 10:10) This is in contrast to the thief that comes to steal and to kill. (Beware the false ministers of the pulpit). Why did He come to give us life? Aren't we already alive? I can talk/walk/breathe. Of course we can. But life here on this earth is temporal. One needs only to visit the local cemetery to see the circle of life in action. Paul's letter to the Romans that by one man's sin, death entered the world; all of mankind will die. But, by one man's offering, Life can be received. It's important to realize that we are NOT saved by the DEATH of Jesus, rather we were RECONCILED by his death, how much more then will we be saved by his LIFE. (Romans 5:10) Colossians 2:13 tells us: When we were DEAD in our sins, GOD MADE you alive with Christ. He forGAVE us all our sins. What did God do? HE made us alive. Did we make ourselves alive? No. He did. Did he decide to forgive us at a later day of just a few of our sins? No, he forGAVE us ALL of our sins.

Now that we know this life is received in the person of Christ Jesus, how stable is it? What did we do to get ourselves ready to receive it? Nothing. We're dead--spiritually speaking. Paul tells the church of Ephesus: As for you, you were dead in your transgression and sins; in John we're told: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath (death) remains (not comes on) him. (John 3:36) The Eternal Life that God provided for us is very stable. When we believed, we were marked in Him with a seal, the promised holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13) Who marked in us? Ourselves? No--God did. What were we marked with? A seal. What was that seal? An I.O.U? No, the Holy Spirit.

So, does it make sense then, that if God is the one that made us alive, He'll keep us alive? If God marks us with the Holy Spirit, are we really so arrogant to think that we can get rid of that mark by our sin??

The thing is... Eternal Life from God is a blessed assurance. It goes beyond the mere "once saved always saved/once saved not always saved". Everything about Eternal Life has to do with the work of Christ. Not one iota of it has to do with anything I've done, good or bad. I, a mortal person, simply cannot kill the eternal.

5 comments:

  1. Wow ! great article ! thank you !

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  2. Im drinkin a beer right now LOL I drink beer alot. I start out with good intentions not to drink beer ,but end up drinking to much . I sometimes wake up in the morning feeling scared like god is going to reject me and that im "In troulble " thanks for this article . Does god realy not count our sins against us ?

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  3. Hey Anonymous--enjoy the beer! ;)
    Seriously, God is not counting our sins against us. II Corinthians 5:19 bears that out: God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them (NIV).
    Good news, huh? The thing is... sometimes, with the best of intentions, 'we' beat ourselves up, and are more focused on our sins than God is. God took care of our sins, once and for all--at the cross. He's through dealing with us on a sin basis... He wants to deal with us on kinship---for us to accept His gift of Eternal Life, and become his sons and daughters. Can I ask--have you trusted God for this wonderful gift of life? God loves you--regardless! :-)

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  4. OOOOO My god ! Your saying that alcoholism is ok ?

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  5. Hi there! No, not saying alcoholism is okay lol. Read the blog that follows this one, and you'll see what was being said. The comment about the beer sparked even more thoughts... have a look! :-)
    Question: Have you trusted God for eternal life found only in Christ Jesus?

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