Does God crush His children? (How Good is God?)

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Psalm 34:8 NKJV 

 This website is dedicated to proclaiming the unabridged Gospel of Grace and the uncompromising truth of God's Goodness at all times. That in all times and in all situations God is Good.

  When we speak of God's Grace, the understood premise is the knowledge of the true nature and character of God. God had to first make clear His true nature and character before revealing the Gospel is the Grace of God revealed in Christ. That's why Jesus went about doing Good and healing all when He walked upon the earth, perfectly demonstrating the Father's all the time Goodness to all.

 With this understanding, it seems good to tackle yet another religious tradition of man. Now before we go further, let me answer why it is so important to dismantle and destroy these religious traditions. We live in a fallen world and people are lost without Christ. How can fallen men reach out a trusting hand to God if they are told God is in fact the one responsible for their misery? 

 If God is ordaining their destruction how then can they trust Him for salvation? If God is so angry at them, how could they even dare approach Him? The proclamation of the Gospel suffers when religion paints a portrait of God on the canvas of men's minds as that of an angry tyrant sending plagues and pestilences and punishments upon them.

Is God crushing His children?

I recently came across a video that made my heart "sink." In this video clip, a "minister",  a rather well-known "minister" made the stunning statement;

"oh by the way if God would crush and kill His perfect, spotless, sinless Son, who do you think you are?" 

 Now of all the things we can say about God, is this something Jesus would have spoken concerning His Father? With such a shocking charge lodged against my Father in Heaven, I did a little search concerning this insidious religious concept and found other ministers also making these same accusations about the Father;

 "Sometimes He crushes you because He’s going to bless you so much he doesn’t want you to get arrogant. He wants to humble you."

"God knows exactly where to crush you to bring you to the place you need to be."

 Some even teach the notion just like a rose is crushed to make perfume God will also crush us to create a sweet-smelling aroma. These are the strongholds in the mind of the religious Christian. We must topple these sacred cows with the Scriptures so we can set the captives free.

  The only time we see the Father "crushing" someone is in the substitutionary aspect of the redemptive work of Christ. Isaiah 53 speaks of this. This was God's love in action. That is God the Father put the judgment for all the sin of mankind upon the body of His Son so that you and I would never experience judgment. 

 We must boldly declare that God is a Good Father. That He is not the one "crushing" people. He isn't the author of anguish, affliction, agony, misery, and heartbreak. The Father is the author of life, wholeness, and peace. The Father takes pleasure in the prosperity of His people. God is for you and not against you. This is all because He loves you eternally and unconditionally.

 What does the Word declare about our Father?

 8 The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. 9 The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. Psalm 145:8-9 KJV

                                                                           

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, 4  who redeems your life from the pit who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:1-5 MEV

  (for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them. Deuteronomy 4:31 MEV

13 No one who is tempted should ever be confused and say that God is testing him. The One who created us is free from evil and can’t be tempted, so He doesn’t tempt anyone James 1:13 Voice

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 NLT

 

 The Word is clear. God is a Good God and not the author of evil. God is not crushing you, no matter what circumstances you may be facing. You can come to God trusting Him to help you through the tough times because you know He isn't the author of it. 

 God is for you not against you. The Father isn't orchestrating evil situations, calamities, catastrophes, or cataclysmic events to crush you to better you. He gave us His Spirit within to lead us and guide us. He gave us His Word to lighten our path and to instruct us. 

 In summation, lose the religious traditions and embrace Grace. Cling fast to the truth of the Word and not man's traditions. God loves you and is for you. Hold fast to His Goodness.

Images courtesy of iosphere at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Dare to take your place

 

I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and authority over all the power of the enemy; nothing may hurt you at all. Luke 10:19 Mounce 

 We've been in a brief study taking a closer look at the believer's authority. This is a deep, yet simple, study of who we are, what we have, and what we can do in and through Jesus and His triumphant Finished Work. Everything we are is all because of Jesus.

 When it comes to identity, so often believers only identify as  Christians. That is, simply one who has put their trust in Christ alone. While this is vital, there is so much more to the Christian experience.

 I am not referring to any new demands or prerequisites to being saved or staying saved or in right standing with God. I am speaking of our life once we are in Christ. Our identity is not just Christian, but also the beloved, a child of God, the Righteous, the victorious overcoming blood-bought redeemed. 

 We are also made kings and priests. It's time we dared to take our place and reign in this life. It's time we take our place identifying with the victory Christ won and walk in the position of dominion and authority that's been bestowed upon us by virtue of the new creation, and the Gift of Righteousness.

 Let's look again at how we can reign in this life because of His love;

5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:5 NLT

 Our hearts are filled with His love. We can rule and reign over loneliness, depression, and feelings of isolation. We can rest in this overwhelming love for us that is cascading from the Father's heart into ours. 

 The Word declared Faith works by love. For so long many taught that this passage meant your Faith only worked successfully when you loved others and weren't in strife and division with them. Is this right?

 While it is good and right to walk in love with others that's not the lesson Paul is conveying here. He is giving us a secret to reigning. Faith works when we know how much God loves us. Faith is a Law and it always works regardless if we are walking in love or not. This passage is revealing just how powerful knowing our Father's love for us is. Faith is having a good opinion of God, so Faith works by knowing His love.

 We can rule and reign because of the Love of God that has filled our hearts to overflow. Whenever challenges arise, we can face them boldly knowing because our Father loves us He will see us through them and deliver us and bring us a complete victory.

 We can rule and reign in this life because we are the children of God. We can dare to take our place as sons and daughters of God. The king's son is always welcome at his table. He doesn't need permission to sit with his father. So it is with you and me child of God. We need to take our place at our Father's table and freely receive all He has purchased and provided for us through Jesus.

 Because we are the children of God by Faith, we are also partakers of the divine nature. As new creations, we have the very life and nature of God Almighty within us in the person of the Holy Spirit. We are His kids, and this answers the mystery as to what Jesus meant in John 10. 

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? 35 If He called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken, 36 do you say of Him, whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? John 10:34-36 MEV 

 Did Jesus just endorse strange new age philosophies/messageless Mormonism here by saying you are gods? No, He was quoting Psalm 82. There is where we find the answer to this comment.

 I said, “You are gods, And all of you are children of the Most High. Psalm 82:6 NKJV

 The principle found in this passage is not that humans are somehow going to become God. What it reveals is that as children of God, we have been given a position of dominion and authority. This position is not a position of deity, but a position of authority.  God is telling us to take our place and exercise this dominion in a corrupted, fallen world.

 When God made man, He gave him a vertical and horizontal relationship. Man first had a trust relationship with God (vertical) and then man had a dominion relationship with the earth (horizontal). Man turned this dominion over to the enemy, but Jesus took the authority back and turned it over to His Church when He defeated death, Hell, and the grave. It's time we took our place.

 The word gods here is referring to a magistrate's position. As the children of God we are now "gods", that is we as God's children have a position of dominion and authority. We can judge righteously concerning who we are and we can take a stand against the lies of the enemy. Don't just blame God's sovereignty as to why things are the way they are, take your place as a magistrate and judge righteously.

 Take your place and judge God's Word to always be true. Judge righteously that you are forgiven and not condemned. Judge righteously that Jesus bore your sickness and disease and command your healing to manifest. Judge righteously that the enemy is defeated, God is the Almighty and Jesus is Lord in your life. 

 The Church has a position of dominion and authority on earth. We can speak against the curse and take authority over the work of the enemy, and the fallen creation. We can pray for lost minds to be opened to see the light of the Gospel. We can even pray and take authority over weather conditions, crisis situations, and afflictions and intercede for the safety and protection, and preservation of people and places, and things. 

 As for John 10, Jesus was simply telling religious ones because the children of God were called gods, why is he blaspheming for claiming His true identity as the Son of God. In this passage, Jesus affirmed our authority as sons and daughters. We have all of heaven's backing, let's dare to take our place.

  3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place 4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? 5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. 6 You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority—7 the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, 8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. 9 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Psalm 8:3-9 NLT  

   In summation, we have authority in Christ. We have restored dominion. It's time we walked in it and stop believing we are victims of circumstances, pawns in God's sovereignty (the twisted religious idea of sovereignty), helpless and defenseless in a fallen world, easy prey for the curse, or the work of the enemy. Dare to take your place!

  

Image by TitusStaunton from Pixabay 

The Authority of the Righteous in Christ

I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and authority over all the power of the enemy; nothing may hurt you at all. Luke 10:19 Mounce 

 Our previous study showed that Grace works in three areas of our life. First, He loves us, second He completely forgives us and thirdly He makes us kings and priests. When believers know how much they are loved and just how forgiven they are, they will reign as kings in this life. 

 This truth leads us to an important study that is instrumental in gaining insight into the fullness of our identity in Christ. The subject is the Authority Christ has given to the Righteous. The believer's Authority is something most churches don't seem to teach about.

 Because many churches attribute every incident unfolding on earth as God's doing, that God's sovereignty means He chooses all the outcomes of every event on the planet, they can't see how man has any authority. The concept of hyper sovereignty and God controlling everything gives no place for the believer to possess any authority. In the mind of the religious, claiming man has any authority takes away from God's supremacy and sovereignty.

 This of course is untrue. God is God, the Most High. Nothing can change that. What is true, in His sovereignty, He chose to give mankind authority. Man rebelled, committed high treason, and bowed their knee to satan. Jesus came and defeated satan, and now Jesus has all authority and He has given it back to the Righteous.

 17 For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Romans 5:17 AMPC 

 Through receiving abundant Grace and of the Gift of Righteousness we reign as kings in life. We reign through Righteousness. No longer can guilt and shame dominate the believer in Christ. We reign over guilt, shame, and condemnation knowing we are Righteous and forgiven. Condemnation has no hold on us or our thinking. We rule over it not giving it a place in our thinking or in our self-image. 

 We have perfect union with Christ Jesus. He became something He never was so we could become something we've never been. We reign in this life through our union with Christ. Jesus exchanged our sins, shame, and unrighteousness, with His Righteousness and holiness, acceptance, and approval, and gave us total forgiveness, complete redemption, and eternal life in Him. 

 We rule and reign in this life through the peace we have in Christ. 

Since we have been acquitted and made right through faith, we are able to experience true and lasting peace with God through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, the Liberating King.2 Jesus leads us into a place of radical grace where we are able to celebrate the hope of experiencing God’s glory. Romans 5:1-2 VOICE

 We can rule and reign over depression and down days. Depression has no power over the Righteous. His peace surpasses all understanding. We have to take our place as the Righteous. We have to lay hold of our identity fully and take dominion over anxiety, fear, and depression. 

 We don't have to put up with "the blues." We don't have to bemoan any day of the week. Every day of the week is the day the Lord has made and we rejoice in it.  

 Am I saying dark days don't come? Having Faith doesn't mean mountains aren't going to be there. What Faith does is gives us the assurance that we already have victory over every mountain that is before us. Therefore we speak to the mountain and command it to be moved. 

 Jesus has given us beauty for ashes. He has given us joy in the midst of turmoil. He has given us the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. We are triumphant overcomers through the revelation of His great Love and the abundant Grace He has poured out upon us. 

What is the point of God continually reminding us of our Righteousness, total forgiveness, divine acceptance, and complete redemption, if it isn't supposed to affect our daily life practically? We rule and reign in this life through all Christ has completed on our behalf. We aren't lacking in Him, we are complete in Christ.

 We rule and reign in this life through the Love of God shed abroad in our heart. This is a powerful truth;

5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:5 NLT

 For so long I only saw this passage as how I can now walk in love. So in essence, I was seeing it as something else I need to do. I was demand-conscious and not supply-conscious. 

 This passage reveals to us how much our Father loves us. His love is overflowing in our hearts. Wow, such an amazing truth! As I write this I am getting overwhelmed with His great love for me. Equipped with the full understanding and knowledge of our Father's great love for us means we can face any challenge or difficulty or circumstance with bold confidence and authority to rule and reign over it. 

 We as the Righteous are authorized to rule and reign in this life. We have been given a position of dominion and authority through Christ. Have you dared to take your place? 

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay 

Grace Life: Made a King

4 John, To the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:4-6 MEV

 We have begun a new study examining the work of Grace in our life. We have noted a progression seen so clearly detailed in our text. First, our Good Father loved us. Secondly, He through the Finished Work of the Son thoroughly cleansed us and forgave us of all sins. 

 What Grace did next is what we want to spend some time examining more closely. This last work listed here will transform your life in a great way when you fully receive of this work of Grace. He has made us kings and priests to our God. 

 This is such a powerful truth. In Christ, we are kings and priests. We are priests because we have been cleansed and are always welcome in the Lord's presence. Because we are cleansed we can boldly enter the presence of the Lord.

 When He said we were made kings, God was showing us the power of our new identity. We are made kings. This speaks of the authority of the Believer in Christ. 

 When we look at the word kings in the literal Greek we gain insight into just how far-reaching this authority in Christ is. 

Thayers; βασιλεύς  basileus leader of the people, prince, commander, lord of the land, king.

 Mounce: βασιλεύς basileus a king, monarch, one possessing regal authority.

 This word in some cases refers to a physical monarch such as a literal king. However, pay close attention to Mounce's definition. One possessing regal authority. 

 In Christ, we possess regal authority. We are made a king. We have been given a new nature. We have been made Righteous. We have been forgiven and forever cleansed from all sin. Therefore condemnation, guilt, shame and fear have no place in our thinking, nor in how we see ourselves. 

 Let's look at another aspect of a king seen in Scripture;

Where the word of a king is, there is power; And who may say to him, “What are you doing?” Ecclesiastes 8:4 NKJV

 Where the word of a king is there is power. When we recognize our authority our words will also reflect this dominion and authority that has been given us in Christ. When a king speaks no one says who do you think you are? What do you think you are doing?

 When you know who you are in Christ, you can boldly speak and declare what you want to see come to pass. The enemy and religious tradition can't ask what are you doing! When you know what Jesus accomplished in the Finished Work, and what He purchased and provided in His triumphant work of Redemption you can speak out and lay hold of what is yours in Him!

 That's the problem with religious tradition. They spend all their time asking what are you doing. They don't know who they are, so they settle for a life of defeat and failure and missing out on the promises of God. 

 We are kings and we boldly decree what God has already declared over us. We don't speak how the situation appears. We speak out what we want the situation to become. We speak what we want to see not how it feels like or seems like.

 Kings don't fear or tremble, they walk in authority, they decree a thing and it is established for them. Religious tradition has exalted the theology of God controlling all aspects of life on earth that they unwittingly accept all the affects of the fall and the curse to overtake them in this life. 

 When situations, circumstances, conditions are contrary to what Christ purchased for us in the Finished Work don't lay down and merely accept it. Rise up in your kingly authority and command the darkness to flee. Command the situation to align with God's decreed will. 

 When I was a young Christian, I had found out about who I was in Christ. I heard of our new identity. At this time I was serving as a Sailor in the United States Navy. My position was that of a cook. I was stationed on a ship over seas. I used to work the night time shift by myself. 

 We had what we in a set of chillers or "reefers" as they are known on ships, (basically a type of refridgerator.) Inside the cooking area. One night these chill boxes began losing refridgeration temp. This would cause all the food items to spoil and create a problem for the work we did, and I didn't want to go on report for them going out on my shift. I knew something needed to be done, but this was in the middle of the night.

 Now remember I began hearing about who I was in Christ. I didn't fear, or allow doubt to creep in. So I right then and there decided to exercise my Godly authority in Christ. Honestly, I didn't have "sense" enough to think what if this doesn't work. I wasn't using natural reasoning. 

 I simply laid hands on these chillers and commanded them to work. As God as my witness, over the course of the rest of the shift, the temp began to drop and stayed in the proper range. A Christian brother of mine who worked the day shift commented to me a few days later after he heard my story, tell me that the produce in these chillers all had frost on them. That's how low the temp dropped in them.

 That is what happens when we walk in our authority in Christ. We have been made a king and it's time we walk in who He made us. Don't allow the naysayers, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, or the couldn't-sees or the wouldn't-sees to move you away from walking in all God has provided and embracing your identity in Christ. 

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay 

Grace Life: Loved and Forgiven

4 John, To the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:4-6 MEV

 As Christians, those who've trusted in Christ alone, who've believed in Jesus and received His free gift of salvation, how do we live our lives? Are we to live our lives in the same manner as we did before Christ? Are there any differences or distinctions in how we live now that we are in Christ?

 I am not speaking so much about no longer cussing or engaging in other sins without remorse or care as I am about how we think and believe. I am speaking about our outlook on life. How do we now see God? How do we see ourselves?

 When we heard the Good News Gospel of Jesus and His Grace and freely received Him, something happened inwardly. Yes we received the New Birth, yes we partook of His Redemptive work, and yes we became children of God and joint heirs with Christ. What also happened is we received a new way of thinking and seeing. 

 This is the Grace of God working in our lives. The text I chose reveals this progression of Grace working in our life. First, He loved us;

 ...To Him who loved us...Revelation 1:5b MEV

 Secondly, He forgave us of all our sins;

and washed us from our sins in His own blood Revelation 1:5b MEV

 Lastly, He made us Kings and Priests;

 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father Revelation 1:6a MEV

 This is how God's Grace worked in our lives. He first loved us and then He forgave us and made us Kings and Priests. This is such a powerful truth. In light of this truth, we are beginning a new study focusing on these works of Grace in our life.

 In Christ, we have a new way of living. Our thinking and speaking change because of the Grace of God we have received. We now walk by Faith, not by sight. Life's circumstances and lies of the enemy are not what moves us but only what God has promised provided and purchased for us in the Finished Work. 

 We now walk in Love. We walk in the Love God has poured out upon us. We walk in His Love living life loved by the Shepherd and Savior. This supply of love cascading from Heaven unto us overflows so we can now love others.

 We now abide in and live under Grace. We aren't under man's tradition or religious rules and regulations. We are no longer under the Old Covenant Law. We live under Grace and not works. We rest in Jesus' work and not our own.

 We have confident hope and Faith because we know God loves us eternally and unconditionally. His Love is eternal and unchanging. He is for us and never against us.

 We also have peace with God knowing that all our sins have been cleansed and washed away. Our sins weren't merely covered but actually cleansed. When something is cleansed and washed away there exists no trace or evidence of it ever again. 

 The believer's sins are completely cleansed and washed away. we are forgiven of all our sins. All means all. All our past and present and future sins are forever forgiven. 

 For those who've been hearing the Grace Gospel for some time, this seems elementary. However, this is such a vital truth and some believers reject the notion all sins are forgiven. They feel they must do something to gain forgiveness for the sins they commit after they received Jesus as their Savior.

 The forgiveness of sins is the Gospel that the Apostles proclaimed in the Book of Acts. When Peter preached to the Gentiles, he spoke of the forgiveness of sins. What was the immediate result? The Holy Spirit fell in His fullness and Cornielus' house was saved and Baptized in the Spirit evidenced by praying in the Holy Ghost. 

 Grace works a mighty work in our lives. He loves us and forgives us of all our sins. What happens to believers who become fully aware of this work? Their thinking changes, and their perception changes. 

 Believers who know they are Loved by the Savior unconditionally and know they are forgiven are infused with a confident boldness. They see God as always for them and never working against them. They quickly recognize God as their Father and not the harsh taskmaster. They experience victory in life no matter the circumstances.

 This leads us to the third work of Grace in our lives. These recipients of His Love and forever forgiveness are then made Kings and priests. This is an important work of Grace concerning our position in Christ, who we are in Christ, and what He made us.

 When we know we are loved and forgiven we can walk in the fullness of Grace in our everyday life. We can then own our identity in Christ. We can walk in the power and authority He procured for us. He made us kings and priests. 

 We are going to study further our authority in Christ. In order to do this we first had to establish how loved we are and how forgiven we are. We must not allow the tradition and religious ideas of men to hinder our understanding of what we have in Christ. 

 In summation, Grace works a mighty work in our life. Grace first loved us eternally. Grace then forgave us of all our sins. There isn't any sin consciousness because we are forever forgiven and cleansed from them for all time. In Christ we can rejoice in this work of Grace in our lives, we are Loved and forgiven! 

 

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Grace Reveals: A Redemption that is Eternal

“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

 Grace, the magnificent and majestic Grace of God has appeared to all mankind offering hope, help, and wholeness. His Grace reveals so much about our Father in Heaven and His plans and purpose for our lives. On the other hand, religious tradition unveils to a lost world, a god who is a tyrant, who gets easily angered, is quick to condemn, and eagerly awaits to pour out wrath and judgment on people and nations whenever they sin too much. 

 Grace reveals our true Father God. Grace reveals to us a Father who loves us always and forever. Grace reveals a Savior greater than all our sins. Grace reveals a Righteousness that is a gift to be received and not something achieved by any works or performance. Grace reveals a Father who is always pleased with His children. Five is the number of Grace, and therefore Grace reveals one more aspect of God, His perfect redemptive work, and our identity in Him.

 Grace reveals to us a Redemption that is eternal, unconditional, unending,  irrevocable, and unchanging. Redemption is not based on our doing but on His doing. We didn't pay the wages due to buy us back from sin, satan, and spiritual death. Jesus alone paid the complete price for our Redemption through His substitutionary sacrificial suffering, death, burial, and triumphant resurrection. 

 If it was Jesus alone who paid for our Redemption, how can any believer reason we have the ability to undo this perfect purchased Redemption? How can we "unpay" the price? Traditional religious understanding reasons that we can in fact "unpay" for what has been forever purchased by our sinful thoughts, words, and repeated actions. That we have the power by our free will to "unpurchase" our redemption. 

 If we could "unpay" for Redemption by our actions and free will, then how is this Redemption eternal in nature and duration? 

 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:12 NKJV

 In another translation it reads;

With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Hebrews 9:12 NLT

 Take note of the language used to describe our Redemption. Eternal, secure, and forever. We can't change or alter the meaning of these words to affirm some man-made tradition or reasoning. What does eternal mean? Without end, never to cease, everlasting. Secure means successfully obtained, without fear or anxiety of loss, fixed or attached. Forever means lasting or permanent.   

 With these words, we can see the Father gave us full assurance of our Redemption. Think of this analogy. If a father paid the full price for say a vehicle or a computer and gave it to his son, could the son go back to the store and demand that the item be unpaid for? No, the item has already been purchased. It can't be "unpurchased."

 Religious-minded ones will be quick to claim yes but you could return the item to the store claiming you no longer want it. This analogy is perfect because many stores now have all sales are final policies. No returns or refunds are allowed. 

 God has a zero return policy on His perfectly purchased Redemption. Jesus purchased this Redemption and His purchase was for eternity. Our Redemption wasn't paid for with corruptible silver and gold but the precious blood of Jesus. 

 Corruptible speaks of something that will fail or fade or fall away. Gold and silver speaks of man's efforts and abilities. God declared our Redemption was purchased by Jesus' Blood.

 Seeing such great proofs from Scripture, I am baffled and bewildered as to why so many reject eternal security. I am truly baffled how Word of Faith Charismatic Christians also reject once saved always saved salvation. As much as they understand what Christ went through to purchase Redemption, and what He actually procured for us, I can't understand why they see healing and prosperity as ours forever but salvation is only secured by our behavior or free will choice.

 One reason that I know of is that one of the leading pioneers of Faith teaching once claimed to have seen a vision where it was revealed a Christian was lost eternally. As much as I love this minister and honor his life and legacy of Faith I cannot accept a vision or dream or word that contradicts Scripture. The Word is the source of truth not visions or dreams.

23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because

“All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away,

 25. But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. 1 Peter 1:23-25 NKJV

Our Redemption as well as our New Creation identity is incorruptible. If the vision was true, then that would mean we were born again of corruptible seed, and our Redemption is in fact corruptible. This passage clearly rejects this and proves beyond doubt that Redemption is eternal and incorruptible. There is nothing we can do to change or alter it. We can't be "unpurchased." 

 In summation, Grace has revealed five things to us; a Father who loves us eternally and unconditionally, a Savior that is greater than all our sins, Righteousness as a Gift that is apart from works and a Father who is pleased with His children. Grace has lastly revealed a Redemption that is eternal and incorruptible. 

 When you first trusted in Christ alone, you received this perfect Redemption. This Redemption is eternal and forever. You never need fear loss of Redemption or salvation. No place in the New Covenant records a man losing this Redemption, because this Redemption is incorruptible and everlasting. Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so!

 

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Grace Reveals: A Father who is always pleased with His children

“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

 God's Grace is so amazing and sometimes too wonderful to even put into words. Grace reveals so much about our Father God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. Traditional religion teaches that God is harsh and unbending and austere and demanding we get it together or else. 

 Grace reveals a Father who always loves us. Grace reveals a Savior greater than any and all our sins. Grace reveals a Righteousness by Faith that is ours in Christ. As much as Grace reveals the nature and character of God and His Gift of Righteousness it also reveals our new identity in Christ. 

 Today, I want to unveil another truth Grace reveals. Grace reveals a Father who is always pleased with His children. Beloved being a child of God is part of our true identity in Christ. We are not just a follower of Jesus. We are not just a believer in Jesus. We are also the children of God. We are sons and daughters of the Living God!

 We are children of God only by Faith in Christ Jesus. Trusting in Christ alone is what makes this a reality for any person. We are not made the children of God by any works or performance on our part. If our actions, our performance, our good works, and our promises to God, didn't make us a child of God, then no amount of bad deeds, or works, or actions on our part can cause us to be unadopted or cease being a child of God. 

 Brethren, our Father loves us with an everlasting Love. Our Savior Jesus is so much greater than all our sins. The Gift of Righteousness is a permanent irrevocable gift. Therefore Grace also reveals that God is always pleased with us. God is never disappointed in us. Father God in Heaven is not up there with arms folded in disappointing disapproval when we err, miss it, blow it, and just plain sin. 

 Think for a moment. Does God want us to run to Him when we miss it or does He want us to run and hide from Him? Well if He is disappointed with us, or displeased with us, why would we run to Him? Anyone with any sense would steer clear and become scarce from His presence until time passed, He cooled down, and we perhaps brought some kind of peace offering to appease Him. 

 Yet religious tradition, with its inconsistent thinking patterns, preach the concept that God is in fact displeased with you when you do wrong or miss it. That He desires to rebuke you for your misdeeds and sins. That He is so displeased and disappointed in you that He won't even hear you when you pray unless you're confessing and apologizing for your foul-ups.

 It's really no wonder that in the circles where Grace is not given preeminence but our performance is, the people there really don't fully draw near to God for themselves. They usually ask the minister to pray for their “big” needs. They usually won't go to God for themselves in some situations. God might still be displeased with them for something they've done.

 Religion shows God as someone who is pleased and happy with us when we are doing good and fulfilling all the spiritual disciplines and obligations. If we do bad we’ve let God down and He is unhappy and displeased with us. He also withholds blessings and healing and miracles and provision until we get it right.

 This is not the God Jesus revealed to us. Jesus is the person of Grace. Peter denied Jesus three times. Yet we never see Jesus confront Peter and tell him how displeased He was by his lack of faithfulness. Look at how God used an Angel to reveal His thoughts about Peter at Jesus' resurrection. 

 God knew Peter didn't much feel like or see himself as one of Jesus' disciples. Yet He specifically named him as one of His own. God wasn't displeased with Peter. The Good News is God is not displeased with us when we screw up and fail either.

 Harboring bitterness, being angry with fellow drivers in traffic, not forgiving others, drunkenness, and sexual immorality in all its forms, are all actions that are indeed sinful. Am I saying these are good things? Have some sense, any reasonably minded believer knows these are actions we aren't proud of and know they are wrong. God isn't honored by any sinful actions. Again that's why we have a Savior greater than our sins.

 In summation, know and rejoice that God is always pleased with us. Know God takes pleasure in His sons and daughters always. You and I are the son and daughter with whom He is well pleased!

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Grace Reveals: A Righteousness apart from performance and works

“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 studying what the Grace of God has revealed to mankind. Grace that offers salvation has appeared to all men. We want to see what Grace reveals rather than what religious tradition proclaims.  

So far we have seen that Grace reveals a Loving Father who sent us His only Son. Grace reveals a Savior greater than any and all sins we as believers have committed or ever will commit. Grace is revealing a loving God, that He is always Good. 

 However, the religious traditions of man preach and teach that God is sometimes good and sometimes bad. That He is loving but also angry depending on man's actions. This is not good news but bad news and sad news intertwined with some good news. Brothers and sisters, this is not the Gospel message.

 Let's look at another truth Grace reveals to us. His Grace reveals a Righteousness that is apart from our works and any performance on our part. Grace reveals a Righteousness that can never be earned or achieved. Grace reveals a Righteousness that can never be removed or lost or forfeited. 

 21 God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 MEV

21 For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God’s goodness into us! 2 Corinthians 5:21 TLB

 Jesus became something He never was; lost, spiritually separated, and unrighteous, so that we who believe would become something we've never been; Righteous, accepted, approved, in right standing, and spiritually alive in Him. This is the Good news of the Gospel. This is the message all believers need.

 Grace reveals a Righteousness that is ours because of Jesus. As believers, we aren't coming to God in our own righteousness but in Christ's Righteousness. Our relationship with our Father is based upon Jesus' Righteousness, not ours. 

 In this perfect work of the Cross, this perfect Redemptive work, Christ did something no one thought possible. Jesus completed the Great exchange. He took our filthy, wanting righteousness and sin and exchanged it with His perfect Righteousness and sinless spotless life. He took our unrighteousness and gave us His very own Righteousness. We now possess and walk in Jesus' Righteousness. We who believed therefore are just as Righteous as Jesus! 

 What is another aspect of this Gift of Righteousness? That is this a Righteousness apart from works and performance. Paul speaks of the difference between  Righteousness and salvation rooted in Grace versus earned righteousness in Romans 11. Look at this passage in another translation;

 5 So then at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. But if it is by works, then is it no longer by grace; otherwise work would no longer be work. Romans 11:5-6 MEV 

 Righteousness is a Gift. It is right standing with God. It is also divine acceptance and approval. Whenever you hear ministers, read Christian books or publications, or follow an internet blog site, that proclaims there are things you must do in order to gain acceptance or approval with God know you are not hearing the Gospel.

 If the message you hear tells you that you can do more things to gain acceptance and approval from God then you've just entered a works and performance program and have left Grace behind. Hear this loud and clear, the only way anyone has acceptance and approval from the Father is because of Jesus' perfect work and nothing else. If we could do something to attain divine acceptance or gain more approval then what do we need Jesus for? 

 Righteousness is a Gift we receive not a work we achieve. It is a free gift that we receive by Faith alone. It is never earned or achieved by any actions or performance on our part. It is not attained by engaging in any form of spiritual discipline. It is a Gift that is only received by Faith.

 One final aspect of this great Gift of Righteousness. This gift is so powerful it also deals with all of our sins. Because of Righteousness, we have the gift of non-imputation of sin. 

   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  

 Here is some Good News Gospel truth. God is not imputing our sins to our account any longer. God is not taking inventory of our sins. Jesus has already paid the full price for all our sins. His precious Blood has cleansed all our sins past, present, and future. We are forgiven and Righteous forever.

 Righteousness is a Gift. Righteousness is that Gift whereby we can stand before God without any sense of shame, guilt, or inferiority. It's that Gift where we are completely free from any and all condemnation. It's that Gift where our sins are never again to be imputed or charged to our account. It's a Gift that is completely free and can only be received and never achieved.

 In summation, God's Grace reveals to us a perfect gift of Righteousness. In order to walk in the fullness of this gift we must fully receive of it. Lay hold of it by Faith and walk in it boldly without compromise. If you have trusted in Christ you are Righteous,  just as Righteous as Jesus!

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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. 

 

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