Showing posts with label The Blood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Blood. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Discover Grace: No More Sacrifices Needed

God saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace. He gave us this grace in King Jesus before all time and ages, 10 but has now made it visible through the appearing of our saviour King Jesus, who abolished death and, through the gospel, shone a bright light on life and immortality. 2 Timothy 1:9-10 NTE 

 God is such a Good Father. The more we see the Father and look at the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,  we discover Grace more and more. Grace isn't just a message of hope and healing and happiness. Grace is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 Grace reveals a Savior greater than our sins. Grace reveals forgiveness that is eternal and isn't obtained through apologies or our words, but rather only through the shed Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace reveals how forgiven we are.

 Grace is what our focus should be. Our focus shouldn't be on our flaws and faults and failures. The only way to overcome failure and walk in victory over sins and habits is to realize and understand and comprehend the depth of His Love, His Grace, and how cleansed and forgiven we are through the Blood of Jesus, His death on the Cross and Him bearing all the judgment for our sins forever.

 When we mention sin, apparently in the thinking of believers and ministers it appears to be some majestic mountain that not even God can climb or remove. To many, sins can halt, hinder and hold back our Father's Love for us. That the moment we sin we are dead to God and alive to satan and destined to eternity in hell. 

 Why is this? We can see how the New Covenant speaks of sin. Look at Romans 6 and Ephesians 4 and 5. Sin is not something we celebrate. We don't make light of its effects on our lives and on those around us. We can see where there is a loss of heavenly rewards for perpetuating sinful lifestyles. We can see that sin can put us in bondage to bad habits and such. 

 Yet nowhere did it state a loss of God's Love, mercy, favor, or Grace in and on our lives. One quick point. Much of what people focus on when it comes to "sinning" is the "R-rated" stuff. Sex outside marriage, pornography, adultery, cussing, R-rated movies, and TV shows, and secular music. 

 What I see little of is the way we treat others. The bitterness we hold inwardly toward others. The way we behave in traffic, the way we work at our jobs. Such as coming in late and leaving early, which can be stealing time from the company. My point is, if sins hinder all of God's Goodness in our life, what about the "little things?"

 Grace, the Gospel isn't saying sin all you like it's cool. Grace isn't winking, saying boys will be boys it's not that serious. Grace isn't saying let's pursue sin because there are no lasting consequences. 

 That said, we must not also go to the other side of the road and believe and teach that sin is greater than His Grace and Love. That sin is some great barrier between the believer and Christ. That sin makes God turn away from us. 

 Often we as believers as soon as we sin feel a need or urge to make up for our sins. Why is this? Because we are not fully persuaded and deeply convinced that all our sins are completely forgiven and the price totally paid in full. 

   And after everything is forgiven, there is no more need for a sacrifice to pay for sins. Hebrews 10:18 ERV

 This is a powerful clause of the New Covenant. Everything is already paid for. Therefore since it is paid in full what else is there to pay? What is it you can offer as payment?

 This powerful, awe-inspiring, majestic merciful loving sacrifice of Jesus' shed Blood is enough. Jesus is enough. His Blood is enough. God has accepted this final once for all payment.

 There is nothing we can do to make up for our sins. There is no price we can pay to cover our failures or mistakes. There is no sacrifice we can make that will pay for our sinful habits or deeds. We must fully accept and receive this absolutely free gift of God's Grace.

 As the Body of Christ, we need to fully honor and embrace the perfect sacrifice of Jesus as being enough. We as believers need to cease from our own works trying to make up for our failures and freely accept Jesus' payment for our faults and failures. Jesus is more than enough.

  Honor the Finished Work. Exalt the mighty name of Jesus. Give thanks for His final sacrifice. Be thankful His shed Blood is enough. Uplift the once for all payment for all the sins we have committed or will commit. Stand in awe of this lavish gift of forever forgiveness and complete cleansing from all sins. It's all because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

 In summation, discover His Grace more and more. Discover this Loving Father and amazing Savior. See the work of Jesus as final and finished. See all the sins of all of us cleansed and forgiven forever. Discover Grace, the Lord Jesus Christ.


Image by bohed from Pixabay

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Discover Grace: Focusing on Grace


  God saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace. He gave us this grace in King Jesus before all time and ages, 10 but has now made it visible through the appearing of our saviour King Jesus, who abolished death and, through the gospel, shone a bright light on life and immortality. 2 Timothy 1:9-10 NTE 

Grace, God's Grace, is not just a doctrine or a minor aspect of the Faith. Grace is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace is the person of Christ manifest on earth. Grace is never earned, merited, or deserved. It's all about Jesus.

 Grace reveals Jesus and keeps Him as the central theme and figure for all we do in God's name. Grace reveals that we need not confess our flaws and failures in order to receive forgiveness for our sins. Grace reveals our sins are completely forgiven.

  What are we focusing on in light of this perfect redemption and the price wholly paid for our total forgiveness? Are we still focusing on our failures and flaws and sins? Or are we focusing on the Grace of Christ?

 Do we still have a sin consciousness or a Righteousness consciousness? Do we have a Grace awareness? Or are we more mindful of our sins and misdeeds? 

 In light of the perfectly purchased redemption Christ died and rose again for, and the Grace of God revealed in Jesus, are our sins actually hindering and creating a barrier between us and God? Does our sin cause the blessing of God not to flow in our lives? Does sin stop the rain of God's Goodness and favor and abundance?

 The truthful answer according to the New Covenant is no. We must agree with what Jesus actually accomplished. We must honor His Finished Work. We must align with the revealed Word of God.

 Sin is not a barrier between the believer and the Father. Sin is not blocking the blessing from manifesting in our lives. Sin is not hindering our prayers nor is it stopping the rain of the free favors of God. Why? Because Jesus' offered a perfect sacrifice for our sins. Why? Because Jesus perfectly procured and purchased our eternal redemption and forgiveness through His sinless, spotless Blood.

 Look at the New Covenant in its fullness. In light of all Jesus has done and the Father's acceptance of Jesus' once for all sacrifice for all time, how can we now claim our sins are greater than Jesus' Finished Work? Our sins and shortcoming hinder the flow of what only the Blood could pay for? In essence, Jesus' Blood could provide salvation regardless of our sins, but anything else; joy, peace, answered prayer, healing, provision, and protection all are only procured by our good behavior. This is wrong believing and thinking, the Blood is greater than our sins. 

 But exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13 MEV

  Now this passage seems to indicate everything I just said is incorrect. Let's take a closer look. Look at the context fully.

 This passage is dealing with the hardness that comes from rejecting God which produces even more unbelief. This passage is not instructing us that our personal sins cause the promises of God to be kept from us. This passage is dealing with stubborn, hard-hearted, unbelief in those who hear the Gospel of Grace, the Good News of Jesus but reject it for their own sense of goodness and what's right and wrong. 

 Jesus and His perfect redemptive work have fully procured every promise, every blessing, and every good thing the Father has for us by His Blood. Let's honor the New Covenant. Our sins are forgiven forever. He said He would never remember our sins again. He said our sins are no longer imputed, or charged to our account. Jesus is enough.

 Now we don't rejoice in sin. Sin is not God's best for us. Sin can put us back into bondage, or service to habits or thoughts, or addictions. Like the master ringing a bell, and the servant dutifully reporting, sin can become a "master" if we allow it to dictate our thinking and believing.

 In summation, Jesus is more than enough. His Blood is more than enough. Grace is an ocean and we are overcome with His kindness and free favors. The blessings are ours, always through Jesus alone. Let's focus on Grace and not our works. 


Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Discover Grace: Forgiven of all our sins


 God saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace. He gave us this grace in King Jesus before all time and ages, 10 but has now made it visible through the appearing of our saviour King Jesus, who abolished death and, through the gospel, shone a bright light on life and immortality. 2 Timothy 1:9-10 NTE 

 We are on a continued journey of discovering Grace. Looking at the Grace of God and its effects on our lives. We are examining all aspects of the Father's extravagant Love and Grace. 

 Grace is the person of Jesus manifest on earth. Grace is the unearned, undeserved, and unmerited favor of Father God. Grace reveals our forgiveness in Christ. 

 Today, I want to continue examining further our complete forgiveness in Christ. We had asked some questions concerning sin in our last study. We answered what must we do if we sin. We asked and answered if it was required to confess our sins in order to receive forgiveness. You can find this study here.

 We also asked how much are we forgiven of and do we lose fellowship with our Father if we sin. Let me briefly answer the loss of fellowship question. If we stay with Scripture we will see this notion of lost fellowship is not substantiated by the Word.

 We have already seen how 1 John chapter 1 was addressing the lost gnostics and not believers in Jesus. The notion of confession of sins finds its roots in this chapter. What you won’t find is this confess your sins and be forgiven repeated anywhere else in the New. So it also is with this concept of broken fellowship when we sin.

  Now if we sin we may see natural consequences as a direct response. Tell a lie to someone and the truth may come back and reveal your lie. That's a consequence, that's not God punishing you. Remember Jesus said He is always with us. He didn't add a clause saying the only exception is if you sin. 

 The idea we break fellowship with our Father when we sin is simply a misunderstood and misapplied scripture turning into a tradition and thus into some new doctrine. Grace is greater than our failures. God isn't turning His back on us. Here are some more detailed studies answering this question about broken fellowship, here and here

 Just how forgiven are we in Christ? Maybe you've heard only to the point of conversion. That your sins were forgiven only up to the point of conversion, of accepting Christ as Savior. Is this true?

 The issue this raises is what happens when you sin after receiving Christ? What must you do to receive forgiveness? The same ones saying this would claim you must confess it in order to be forgiven. 

 We have already addressed this issue about confession. Only the shedding of blood forgives sin. Does Jesus need to shed His Blood over and over and over to bring us forgiveness? This is of course an unreasonable idea. Jesus' once for all sacrifice for sins was enough.

 In light of Jesus' perfect work of Redemption, His once for all sacrifice for sin, and the Father's acceptance of this final offering for sin, we are forgiven of all our sins. Not just the sins we have committed up to the point of conversion, but all our sins. We are forgiven of all our sins. We are forgiven past and present and future.

 One may say that can't be possible. That's saying we are forgiven of sins we haven't even committed yet. Let's look at what the Bible actually says;

14 who bought our freedom with his blood and forgave us all our sins Colossians 1:14 TLB

13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. Colossians 2:13 NLT

12 I am writing to you, little children (believers, dear ones), because your sins have been forgiven for His name’s sake [you have been pardoned and released from spiritual debt through His name because you have confessed His name, believing in Him as Savior]. 1 John 2:12 AMP

He is the one who took God’s wrath against our sins upon himself and brought us into fellowship with God; and he is the forgiveness for our sins, and not only ours but all the world’s. 1 John 2:2 TLB 


32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 NLT

13 bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive. Colossians 3:13 AMP 

  The Scripture is clear. We are forgiven. We are forgiven forever. Take note of how often the word all is used in conjunction with our sins. 

 All means all. All our sins past and present and future are forgiven in Jesus. Rejoice this is the Good News of Grace. 

 What about that passage in 2 Peter that mentions only past sins forgiven? What about James 5 saying sins will be forgiven us? Glad this concern was raised. Let's answer with the Word.

 We can see 2 Peter 1 here. The wording here from the Greek word some translated past is actually better stated as former. This is Peter simply reminding the believer they are a New Creation in Christ. The old has passed away and the New has come. 

 Not considering your new nature is what Peter was warning about. He was not claiming we are only forgiven for our sins up to conversion. Peter wasn't contradicting the Scripture. What about James?

 James 5, deals with an order of gathering and offering prayers one for another. While a surface reading of the passage could give credence that we aren't forgiven of all sins, we know Scripture cannot and does not contradict other Scripture. Whatever God was conveying in this passage we know what it can't mean. 

 The forgiveness of sins is in relation to prayers offered for healing the sick. Based on the context it can be simply seen as a sin that may have the consequence of sickness, (not claiming sickness is the result of sin), such as smoking or some poor choice, because the next passage refers to confessing our faults to other believers to find wholeness. 

 Whatever the purpose the passage isn't offering a doctrinal stance that forgiveness isn't once for all time. We can't take obscure passages and create doctrines all the while ignoring clear, plain Scripture.

 In summation, we have discovered the Good News of Grace. We are forgiven of all our sins in Christ. Christ's perfect redemptive work, the Father's acceptance of the final offering for sin by Jesus, and the Word of God make it clear, we are forgiven of all our sins, past present, and future.

Monday, January 16, 2023

Grace reveals: A Savior greater than all our sins

“Now, brothers, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified. Acts 20:32 MEV

 We've begun a new series seeing what the Grace of our Loving Father God reveals. Religion reveals a god who is easily angered and holds each and every sin against you. Tradition teaches about an austere taskmaster who demands you get it right or you're no longer accepted and must work your way back into his favor. Grace reveals a Father that is so much better.

 We don't have a firey judge quick to condemn and render swift harsh sentences. We have a Father who loves us. We have a salvation that has been sealed forever in eternity. We have a redemption that is once and for all and can never be undone. 

 Some see our sins and shortcomings as greater than what Jesus accomplished in the Finished Work. In the religious mind, the wages of sins committed is a loss of fellowship with God. It is prayers going unanswered. It is God temporarily disconnecting from you. 

 The Word declares something entirely different. The wages of sin is death. It's not loss of fellowship or unanswered prayer. This is why we need a Savior and not an austere taskmaster or an angry judge. 

Seeing that death is the only punishment or wage earned for sin what hope have we whenever we miss it, blow it, or just plain sin? The answer to our predicament, the solution to our problem, the only hope for any of us, is having a Savior that is greater than our sins. We have that Savior in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Jesus and His once for all work on the Cross is greater than any of our sins. Jesus' work is finished. It is done. It is enough.

 So many see their sins as something that lets God down. They feel they have let God down because they didn't resist the temptation enough but instead succumb to it. They see God as being disappointed in them whenever they fail. God is let down, that is His hopes are dashed, His demeanor is downcast, and He is unhappy all because of His people's sins.

 Still, others see their sins as something that hurts God. That whenever they sin they are hurting Jesus all over again. God is so downcast and taken aback that His people just sinned. 

 Hear this loud and clear, the Finished Work actually worked. To think, to imply, or to believe our sins let God down or hurt Him is to say God is not satisfied with the once for all sacrifice of His Son Jesus. That God doesn't need Jesus' shed Blood alone. No, He needs your guilt, your shame, and your misery over your sins to forgive and cleanse you. 

 Contrary to religious mindsets, I am not making light of sin. Sin brings pain and brokenness into this world. Sin does have natural consequences. Rob a bank you'll go to jail, who wants that? 

 I am not making light of sin, I am making much of our Savior from sins Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior paid the highest price for all our sins. He stood bare for all to see hanging on that tree for you and me. He bore the shame and took the judgment we all deserved. He shed His perfect Blood cleansing sin once for all time.

 I am putting sin back into its proper perspective. I am not for sin in any way but I don't want believers to see sin as some cosmic kryptonite that stops God in His tracks and causes Him to flee from you and have nothing to do with you until its removal. God is not accounting or charging our sins to our accounts any longer. 

 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not credited as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 But to the one who does not work, but entrusts himself to the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 So also David speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and who sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account." Romans 4:4-8 Mounce  

 This is the blessedness of God's gift of Righteousness. Non-imputation of sins. This is the Work of our precious Savior. This is the once for all perfect work of our Savior Jesus Christ. We have a Savior greater than all our sins. Magnify Jesus and His Finished Work and not our failures and transgressions.

 Our sins aren't letting God down or "hurting" Him. Jesus saw all our sins and selfish acts before we ever committed them and He still laid His life down in order to purchase us and redeem us and be in eternal relationship with us. His Salvation is greater than our sins and shortcomings. 

 In summation, Grace reveals a loving Savior who is greater than all our sins, shame, shortcomings, and failures. Whenever you falter or fail run to your Savior. Run to Him without any sense of shame or fear of punishment or condemnation. He's already forgiven you, He has already seen your sins and He still loves you unconditionally. Magnify our Savior Jesus Christ. 

 



Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

Tuesday, August 9, 2022

What does it means to be Holy?

But you are not like that, for you have been chosen by God himself—you are priests of the King, you are holy and pure, you are God’s very own—all this so that you may show to others how God called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 TLB

 Have you ever had someone look at you with contempt or bewilderment, and tell you that you are different? At one time or another, all of us may have a similar experience. Maybe we just didn't fit in with a certain group, with co-workers, or perhaps someone we knew and over time we realized we were two different people with differing likes and interests. 

 As we continue in our study we are going to see being different can really be positive. Today, it seemed good to look at holiness and examine it in light of the Gospel of Grace. Some tend to think holiness and Grace are contrary to one another. That is an untruth.

 Grace gives us the power and desire to walk out our true identity in Christ. Grace is what actually made us holy. The challenge with holiness is that tradition and religion have defined holiness as some somber joyless life where keeping all the rules and even finding new ones to observe is what holiness looks like.

 The other challenge with holiness is that the Church still believes holiness is something we aren't and is something we must obtain. Some teach Righteousness is what He did but holiness is what we do. We can't walk out holiness in our life if we don't even know what it is.

 Hebrews reveals the Grace that already made us holy. Hebrews 10 details this Finished Work of Grace. Hebrews tells us those who believe are already made holy.

For by one offering He has forever perfected those who are sanctified. Hebrews 10:14 MEV

 We are perfected and sanctified already because of Jesus. We are in Him. 

let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse them from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22 MEV

 We are already cleansed by the Blood. We are redeemed. We are His. We are set apart. This was done at the Cross. This was realized and received when we partook of His free gift of Grace by Faith.

 So why do we still sin? Why do we still miss it? Why do we still have bad habits and make poor choices? These aren't deep questions that take much pondering, extended times of fasting, and isolation in prayer to search for an answer. 

 We blow it sometimes, we miss it, and we still deal with bad habits. Does this mean we aren't holy? Some would say yes. However, that contradicts what the Word proclaimed. We still make mistakes, but that isn't a reflection of our identity in Christ.

 Why do we miss it? One thing we must continually do is renew our minds. Right believing is the key to right living. We miss it when our mind isn't renewed in various areas of our life. We miss it when we forget our true identity. We miss it when we allow legitimate needs to become perverted, and/or try to get legitimate needs met apart from God and His Grace.

 The problem with religion is they consider the Christian life as an easy bake oven. That the proverbial cake should be done in an hour. As soon as one is saved they should cease all the stuff they are involved in. That's not God's way.

 Our Father paid a high price for us. He recreated and reformed and refashioned us from within. We are brand new in Him. We are made Righteous, we are forgiven and sanctified or set apart for Him when we believed. We are progressively maturing into who He already made us. The focus is on our own growth and no one else's. Relax and enjoy the ride.

 Now, what does this look like in daily life? How do you know you are maturing? Recall how I mentioned being different. This is the real holiness of God. What do I mean?

 Where religion only focuses on rule-keeping God sees our whole life as growth in holiness. I want to encourage you and show that you're more holy than you realize. Holiness means we aren't common, we are uncommon.

 Holiness practically realized is that we are uncommon people. We are different! Though we may still be overcoming in differing areas of our life, I want to show you how you are progressing. 

 When others are out golfing, or day sailing, or sleeping in, usually on Sundays you're found in the house of God fellowshipping with other saints, exalting God corporately. That's being different. When others are spending money on new gadgets, or the latest and greatest new thing, you're sending money to support missions. You're sending money to help feed and clothe orphans. You're funding ministries and Bible schools. That's being different!

 When the doctor's report is of a negative nature, your response is one of trusting in God and not one of fear, panic, and giving up. Whereas others are feeling hopeless, you know where your trust resides. You speak the Word of Faith where others are speaking fear and dread. That is different!

 Are you walking in holiness? Take a second look at your life. Examine it in light of Grace and the Finished Work. You're going to see how different you are in comparison to those without Christ. That is walking in holiness. 

 God is not looking for dutiful servants who mind all the rules. He's not looking for slaves, He's looking for sons and daughters. God's Love for us is overwhelming and unconditional. We speak of the first love, the amazing truth is that we are God's first love. He has a fire burning in His heart for you and me. His heart beats out of his chest when He thinks of you and me. He is Holy and He is Love. 

 In summation, be glad we are different. Being different is a good thing. It reveals our minds are being renewed and "updated" if you will. It serves to remind us we are the Righteous and the ones made holy because of the Blood, the Grace of God, and His Finished Work. Be different, because He is different! This is Good News! 




Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net 

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Is Salvation permanent once received?

 And he has entered once and forever into the Holiest Sanctuary of All, not with the blood of animal sacrifices, but the sacred blood of his own sacrifice. And he alone has made our salvation secure forever! Hebrews 9:12 TPT

  Throughout the world, we celebrated "Easter" or Resurrection Sunday a couple of days ago. It was truly an exciting celebration. Believers gathered around the truth that Jesus bled and died for all. The innocent died for the guilty. 

 A sense of unity is felt as the Church universal gathered. On that Cross, Jesus shed His perfect blood. It serves as a reminder it's only the Blood of Christ that purchased our Redemption. It's only the Blood that justifies. It's not about man's work or performance.

 Because of the Blood of Jesus, we have peace with God. Peace from a guilty conscience. Peace from the broken Law. Guilt and shame have no right or claim to our lives. All because of Jesus.

 On that Cross, we see that Christ did something else. His precious Blood procured our Redemption forever. He purchased a sustained and secure salvation. 

 When we speak of eternal security, many objections arise. What about when believers sin some object? What about those who claim Christ but live in sin? We still play a part. These are just a few of the objections from tradition. 

 If our Redemption could only be purchased by His shed Blood, then why do we think our work or efforts could maintain this Redemption? If it's only by the Blood, then how could our efforts, our performance, add to or take away from Redemption? If our behavior before we received this Redemption didn't merit it, to begin with, how could our behavior undo it once we received it?

 So is our salvation permanent once received? Some would argue, that it is secure so long as you're in Christ. This argument, though meant to sound balanced, opens up more questions and produces fear and anxiety in God's people. 

 How do I know if I am in Christ? How do I know if I still am in Christ? Can I get out of Christ? These are genuine questions that tradition can't or won't answer.

 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3 NLT 

“I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. John 17:22-23 NLT

 We are clearly in Christ when we believed. Looking at all the in Christ Scriptures, you can't find a way out of Christ. Religious tradition has concluded though that our sin, that is too much sin, can cause Christ to depart from us and leave us "out of Christ." 

 They look at the sins and failures of believers and judge they are now lost. They see their shortcomings and unfaithfulness and declare they must have never been saved, to begin with. They conclude too much sinning means believers are shown the exit door "out of Christ." 

 What are we doing when we look at the sins and shortcomings of professing Christians and presuppose they must have never been saved, to begin with? What are we doing when see believers at their absolute worst and conclude that they are no longer saved? We are ignoring and overlooking the perfect, once for all time, sacrificial, substitutionary work of Jesus on the Cross. We are declaring the blood is insufficient to cleanse all sin, and presuming the Finished Work has its limits and another's sin is far greater than His Grace and forgiveness. 

 Sin is destructive. Sin hurts others and those in bondage and captivity to it. Yes, there are believers who have pursued adultery, sexual sins, lying, and defrauding others. Does that mean they are out of Christ? Does that mean that they were never saved? 

 Emphatically no! What it means is that some believers have not renewed their minds to the Word and are still conformed to the world in some areas of their thinking. It means that they fell for the enemy's lie when he brought temptation. It means there still exists unrenewed desires.

 That doesn't mean they are no longer saved or out of Christ. In light of the Cross, our sins are like throwing pebbles at a massive dam hoping to put a crack in it. Stand in awe of the Cross.

 When I survey the Cross, I see sinful man unable to save and redeem himself. I see a God who so loved us all that He sent His only Son to take our place. I stand in awe of the Cross and I am truly humbled, knowing I can never do enough to merit this Love and Grace. I see and understand that this and only this is what saves, forgives, heals, secures, and makes whole. 

 In summation, is our salvation permanent or temporal? Thanks be to God it is forever and eternal. It is unwavering and unchanging. Once received it cannot be undone and cannot be lost. Stand in awe of the Cross. It's only by the Blood, nothing we can do to earn it or merit it, nothing we can do to undo it or forfeit it. Salvation is forever. 


Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

God is Not Mad at You

But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us. Therefore, since we are now justified (acquitted, made righteous, and brought into right relationship with God) by Christ’s blood, how much more [certain is it that] we shall be saved by Him from the indignation and wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin’s dominion) through His [resurrection] life. Romans 5:8-10 AMPC

 At some time or another, all believers have asked the question is God mad at me? At some point in a Christian's life, they have wondered if God is mad at them when they sin. I would make the bold claim that many believers still see God as a vengeful angry deity willing and waiting to strike at the moment of failure. 

 Why do we as believers hold fast to this image of God in our thinking? We see the Old Covenant and the wrath and judgment poured out. We hear religious traditional ministers proclaim that God is angry and is poised to strike when we miss it. We hear preaching that God hates the lost, the sinners, and the rebellious and is going to get them by sending famine, floods, fire or pestilence, and plagues. 

 Under the Old, Christ had not yet died. Judgment seemed more swift because there was no price paid for the wicked sins of humanity. Yet in this time, we still see God's mercy and Grace. He provided temporary fixes be it through animal sacrifices, raising up intercessors, and making covenants with individuals. God was still Good then and He waited for the fullness of time to send us His Son, who takes away the sins of the world.

 As for traditional preaching, they have forgotten that their own sins were forgiven. That Jesus' Blood paid the full price. They have made much of God's wrath and made very little of His Grace and Goodness.

 and through him to reconcile all things to himself, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through his blood shed on the cross. Colossians 1:20 MOUNCE

 The Blood of Christ brought peace. Because of the Blood of Jesus, we have peace with God for all time and eternity. God isn't mad at you or me. Our Father isn't folding His arms in disappointment when we blow it, foul-up, or sin. Because of the Blood, the price has been paid once for all time. We have peace with God and He isn't mad at us but rather He is pleased with us because of all that Jesus has done.

 We have peace through the Blood. We have peace from a guilt-ridden conscience. We have a Righteousness conscience because of the precious Blood of Christ. Guilt and shame have no place in our thinking or self-image. Thoughts of guilt and shame must bow to the higher truth that we have peace with God and He isn't accounting or imputing our sins to us any longer. 

 Only the Blood of Jesus brings peace with God. We can't promise to do better to find peace with God. We can't do enough to earn peace with God. In days gone by dueling forces, or nations signed peace treaties. Each side had forces, and manpower, and was equipped with the means for war. Each side had something with which to bargain.

 What can we offer to God as a "bargaining chip?" What position did we hold that we could earn or achieve peace with God? We had broken the commands of God. We had fallen short of God's glory. We were guilty before God.

 It was the Blood of Jesus that brought about peace. Jesus standing in the place of man, by means of His blood shed, took the wrath, the judgment, and penalty of all sins for all time. The innocent, the spotless, the perfect took the place of the guilty. 

 I'm so thankful for the Blood of Jesus. It brought about peace with God. It made us the friends of God and no longer the enemies of God. When God looks upon us now He sees us as who we were made in the New Creation. Righteous, holy, approved sons and friends. 

 In summation, understand God is not mad at you no matter what. Because of the Blood, you have peace with God. Peace from a guilty conscience, and even peace from the broken Law. All praise be to God for giving us His Son. You are now Righteous, accepted, approved, and received by God as His own. God is not mad at you, He's madly in love with you!

Image courtesy of Sira Anamwong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Monday, April 4, 2022

Nothing but the Blood


19 And so, dear brothers, now we may walk right into the very Holy of Holies, where God is, because of the blood of Jesus. 20 This is the fresh, new, life-giving way that Christ has opened up for us by tearing the curtain—his human body—to let us into the holy presence of God. Hebrews 10:19-20 TLB  

One of the greatest revelations of the New Covenant is exactly what happened on the Cross and the subsequent resurrection. That God Himself took our place and shed His perfect blood on our behalf. The Blood of Jesus is what made our redemption and salvation a reality. 

 Do we really understand the magnitude of the Blood? How powerful this perfect Blood is? What this shed Blood has done for us? 

 We sing songs about the Blood of Jesus. We write about the Blood. We may even hear a message about the Blood. Yet when the song ends, the book is finished being read, the sermon concludes, how do we approach God? How do we pray? How do we see ourselves before God?

 Allow me to ask, does the knowledge that Jesus shed His perfect blood alter the way you approach God or see yourself? Or is the truth that His precious blood was shed for you, merely an abstract concept that is far off in the distance and really isn't in the forefront of your thinking and the very foundation of your Faith? 

 The Precious Blood of Christ is merely a theological concept to so many because we aren't taught the fullness of what Jesus actually accomplished for us. When we understand fully what Jesus' Blood procured for us, our lives will be radically transformed. Condemnation ceases to rule over us. Powerless, anemic faith is revitalized into powerful, dynamic Faith that overcomes and lays hold of the victory Christ purchased.

 Legalism flourishes when the Blood of Jesus is not given preeminence. Our performance takes center stage when the Blood of Jesus becomes a mere theological concept, or a stage drama once a year during Easter. Our achievements, our accomplishments, and our actions are what matter most when the Blood loses the focus of our attention, our adoration, and our adulation. Our sacrifice isn't what matters, it's the Blood of Jesus that justifies.

 The Blood of Jesus has become so far from center stage in our theology, that many believe the Blood isn't even powerful enough to completely cleanse us from all our sins. Tradition has convinced many that the Blood merely covers sin, (like placing a rug over a stain on the floor), and doesn't actually cleanse sin. Still, others claim the Blood has such limited reach and power, that it only cleansed us from our past sins up to the point of accepting Christ, but our future sins require our efforts, confessions, apologies, repentance, in order to be cleansed and forgiven. 

 When we recognize the fullness of the power of the Precious Blood of Jesus we will walk in the freedom and acceptance Christ procured for us. We will no longer look to our performance but trust in Christ's. We will cease our efforts to earn and achieve acceptance and approval and simply rest in Christ's Finished Work.

 Now, when sins have once been forever forgiven and forgotten, there is no need to offer more sacrifices to get rid of them. Hebrews 10:18 TLB

 Whose sacrifice are you trusting in? Your own? Your labor of getting up early, engaging in Bible study, or devotion? The amount you gave financially? Your ability to abstain from sinful actions? Your kindness toward others?  Or are you counting your own labor as secondary compared to the once for all sacrifice of Christ Jesus?

 18 For you know that you were not redeemed from your vain way of life inherited from your fathers with perishable things, like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 Peter 1:18-19 MEV

This passage makes it evident that the Blood is the source of our very redemption. Notice Peter cited silver and gold. What's the significance? Silver and gold perish or aren't eternal true, but they also represent something that is earned and achieved. Our redemption is based on Christ alone, not Jesus plus our works and efforts. 

 In summation, let's put the Blood back at the forefront of our thinking and theology. Let's give the Precious Blood of Jesus the preeminence it deserves. What cleansed us from our sins? Nothing but the Blood! What made us accepted and approved by God? Nothing but the Blood! What made us whole? Nothing but the Blood! It's not about us, it's all about Him! It's all about Jesus and His perfect, Precious Blood shed for us. 

see even more about the Blood here.


Image by kropekk_pl from Pixabay

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Must we qualify for God to bless us or to receive healing?

 


Dear friend,  I pray that in every way you may prosper and be in good health,  just as your soul is prospering. 3 John 2 MOUNCE

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38 MEV

Healing is a subject with much controversy and many questions. In detailing the redemptive work of healing in Jesus' ministry Luke's Gospel reveals much concerning God's will and heart concerning healing. Jesus makes known His heart toward the afflicted and properly identifies who is responsible for the affliction.

 In Luke's Gospel the 13th chapter we see the kindness and compassion of our Father at work through Jesus. Amongst the crowd in the Synagogue, Jesus finds the one afflicted and brings His healing Grace and removes the crippling infirmity. Just like this woman here, God sees you. He sees you in your circumstance and situation and He is there ministering life, healing, and wholeness to you, simply because He loves you. 

 This passage reveals much about God's will concerning wholeness. It reveals that religious tradition sees healing as a work. Something that must be earned. It reveals Jesus declaring the woman ought to be made whole. He saw healing as a Covenant right. It also revealed Jesus identifying the one responsible for affliction and torment as satan and not God. In concluding this look at Luke 13 look once again at Jesus' words to the religious leaders; 

So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?”  Luke 13:16 NKJV

 Jesus declared this woman ought to be healed? Why? Because she was a daughter of Abraham. Of course, there are Covenant rights at work but looking closer Jesus is also speaking of her identity. 

 By revealing her identity, Jesus also revealed her qualifications to receive. The Abrahamic Covenant is a shadow of the New Covenant. The New Covenant is a Covenant cut between Jesus and the Father. Those who simply believe become the benefactors of a beautiful Covenant that reveals just how much God our Daddy loves us. 

 Building on the concept that traditional religion espouses that healing is a work, it is even more clear that they view all of the goodness of God as received by only those who qualify. Sadly many ministries, even those who believe in God's willingness to heal or bring blessings, have also embraced this concept. So much so their teachings have become mere instructions on how to qualify and not on how to receive.

 What are the qualifications to receive healing or blessings from God? To qualify to receive one must be completely sinless, without fault or errors, perfect in all their dealings in business, and with family. One must be faithful in all things, in essence, 100% perfection, 100% of the time. Who then qualifies? Only Jesus!

 This is why this New Covenant is based solely on the work and faithfulness of Jesus. Because Jesus is the only one that qualifies, He is the only one, who based on His work and performance, could ask with complete confidence and boldly receive. Therefore, we who believe in Him should base our receiving on His performance alone.

 Traditional-minded ministers and believers, and those still convinced that they play some part in their receiving of blessings, look to, and lean on Old Covenant qualifiers to receive from God; 

 “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today...Deuteronomy 28:1a NKJV

 and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes...Exodus 15:26a NKJV

I have heard whole messages based upon the beginning qualifiers of these passages. Note the qualifications. If you do, if you observe, if you heed. These are all based upon your obedience, your performance, your behavior.

 Can you imagine a gospel message that began this way? You will be saved eternally only if you diligently obey. You will be eternally saved only if you do what is right in God's sight. Who then would be saved?

 The Old Covenant was a covenant made between God and man. Its fault was found in man's inability to keep it. That was the whole point of it, to reveal man's need for a Savior. To show us we can't ever earn or achieve His blessings or His healing. 

 Yet in light of His Grace, His Finished Work of Redemption, and the Father's great Love, ministers still insist we play a part in receiving the blessings and Goodness of God. They stand by these Old Covenant qualifiers and put them on New Covenant children of God. 

 They claim we need to do more to receive. We need to do it exactly right and it must be done long enough to achieve healing, wholeness, and blessings. It's no longer about Jesus alone, but our added works, performance, faithfulness, and behavior. 

 Think of it. How much do we need to do to qualify to receive His Goodness, His Love, His blessings, His benefits, and the Healing He procured for us? Is it spending enough time in personal Bible study? Is it spending hours a day in prayer? Is it abstaining from all sinful habits and deeds? Just how much is enough? How will we know when we've done enough to qualify? 

 The fact we pray in Jesus' name eliminates all these erroneous concepts about trying to qualify to receive. When we ask in Jesus' name we are coming to the Father and basing our receiving on Jesus' Goodness, faithfulness, and performance alone not our own. We come to God based solely on Jesus' track record never ours.

 We need to abide in the New Covenant and stop trying to live under the illusion of dual covenants. God didn't institute the New, ratified by Jesus' blood, only to require us to still observe the statutes, regulations, and requirements of the Old. Jesus has triumphantly given us a new and living way in relating to our Father and how we receive from Him. 

 Jesus has made the Old obsolete and it, therefore, has passed away. Behold the New has come. We must stop resurrecting it so we can keep giving believers qualifiers to receive. 

In summation, let's cease from placing believers under the Law and Old Covenant every time they come to God in prayer to receive from Him. Jesus is our qualification to receive all God has for us. Jesus alone is why we can receive healing and wholeness and blessing. Let's put our Faith and complete trust in Jesus' Faith and Finished Work and receive all God has procured for us based upon Jesus' faithfulness and performance and not our own. 

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Who is the author of sickness and disease?

 

Dear friend,  I pray that in every way you may prosper and be in good health,  just as your soul is prospering. 3 John 2 MOUNCE

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38 MEV

Healing and health in this life can be a controversial issue, especially when it comes to God's role and will concerning health. Ask the average Christian about healing and the answers will differ greatly. Some regulate healing to only the "Bible days." Other Christians and even ministers believe prayer for healing is generally acceptable but to believe God will actually answer that prayer with tangible results is fanaticism and extremism.

 What is God's view of healing? One need look no further than the life and ministry and redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Healing was always part and parcel of Jesus' work on earth. 

 The religious tradition of man only sees Jesus' healing power as a means to attest to and prove His identity as the promised Messiah. They relegate His healing ministry to only the time of His earthly walk. They fail to see His true motive behind healing. Jesus healed to reveal His Father's, endless Love. Throughout the Gospels, we see it recorded Jesus was moved with compassion and healed the sick. What's changed? Is Jesus any less compassionate? Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever, Jesus is still moved with compassion to heal you!

 Let's look again at  Luke's Gospel, the 13th chapter. We see a powerful truth concerning healing and a revealing answer as to where sickness comes from. Look again at Jesus' words;

 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” Luke 13:16 NKJV

 Where do sickness and disease come from? Who is its author? Jesus gives us the complete answer but its application is two-fold.

 Jesus reveals to us the author of sickness and disease is satan himself. Jesus didn't mince words. He didn't hesitate to uncover the work of the enemy. 

 Notice here in Luke 13, Jesus didn't assign this crippling condition as the handiwork of God. He didn't declare this ailment was God's design to lead this woman into a place of humility, deeper trust, becoming a better witness for the Lord, to develop her character, and bring her to a better place of piety. Jesus identified the ailment as incapacitating bondage and the culprit as the devil. 

 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]. John 10:10 AMP

 Jesus came to heal and make whole. The enemy, the thief, came to steal and kill and destroy. Anything in your life that is stealing, that is killing, that is destroying is the work of satan and not the work of God.  

 The religious tradition of man assigns sickness to the work of God and satan. They are very disingenuous and highly crafty and deceptive when they speak of sickness being the work of God.

 One notorious proponent of mischaracterizing God in order to discredit any ministry, minister, or believer who promotes divine healing cited King Uzziah as a proof text that God makes people sick according to His sovereignty. Any honest simple check of Scripture can see how that is a subversion of Scripture. Even secular sources agree. 

 Uzziah, abiding under the Old Covenant, brought the curse upon himself by disobeying and disregarding clear instructions God had detailed about offering incense. This brings us to the second application of how satan afflicts. There exists a curse on this earth.

 If we go back to the beginning, we see when man fell, so did creation. Because of the fall, this planet is a fallen and fractured creation. When God declared the ground was cursed for Adam's sake it wasn't that God brought this curse or created it. God was revealing that because of sin, the result is a fallen and fractured creation.

 Who tempted Adam? It wasn't God. It was the enemy. So in essence the enemy indirectly is the author of the fall. Why do we see disasters, droughts, desolation, or devastation on earth? Why do we see dejection, despair, depression, discouragement, distress, or downheartedness among us? We see all these terrible things because we live in a cursed, fallen creation. 

 Be it satan's work indirectly through a fallen creation, or his demonic hand of oppression, sickness, and disease all have their origins with satan. This doesn't mean we are proverbial sitting ducks living on this earth. It doesn't mean we can do nothing but sit and suffer.

 Jesus wore the crown of thorns for us in His Finished Work. Thorns are representative of the curse. Jesus bore the curse for us. Because of this, we can resist the work of the enemy in our life. 

 We don't have to earn our redemption. We don't have to struggle and strive to get our Father's attention. We don't have to perform well enough to receive His Goodness and Love. It is by Grace through Faith we receive redemption. 

 If sickness and disease strike, know it's not the work or will of God for you. Stand strong in the Finished Work of Christ and your perfect right standing with God. Because of the blood you are accepted and approved by God. Trust Him knowing all your sins are forgiven and cleansed once for all time. 

 In your Righteousness, put a demand on the supply of healing that Redemption procured for you. Feed on God's Word concerning healing. Speak out His promises, speak to that mountain of sickness to be removed, speak to the enemy and order him to flee, speak forth, commanding that sickness to leave your body. Partake of holy communion and remember Jesus' perfect work, it's the meal that heals. 

 In summation, know who God is, always good and always for you. Know God's will for you, healing and wholeness. Know who the author of evil and sickness and disease is, the enemy satan, never our Father. Put your complete trust in Him. God is a Good God and the enemy, who is defeated, is a bad devil. 


Image by FotoRieth from Pixabay