"I don't care what You said, I'll do what I want." It is God's would be murderer. Sin would un-God God if it could. Sin defiles the conscience. Sin is irrational and forfeits blessing. Sin is painful-it hurts. Sin is damning. Sin is degrading it mares the image of God and man. Like Samson, it cuts the locks of purity and leaves men morally weak. Sin poisons the springs of love and turns beauty in leprosy. Sin defeats the mind, the heart, the will, the affections and it has made a whole world of people-all of mankind- children wrath by nature; objects of God's wrath. Sin brings man under the domination of Satan and his sick sin system, which he controls. Man and the world is a slave to sin, open rebellion and defiance to God and a slave to Satan." (author unknown)
This quote makes this verse even more unbelievable.
2 Corinthians 5:20-21
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Jesus always did what pleased the Father. Yet he willingly took the just punishment deserved by those of us who do not.
Look again at the gospel. May God give us the grace and the faith to obey out of gratitude. Jesus has taken our sin and our punishment. He has given us his obedience and righteousness. He has made us holy. He has set us apart and made us ambassadors for his name. Let us take serious the call to obey walk worthy of our call.
6/14/07
The Unbelievable Gospel
Sin strikes at God and says,
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1 comments:
Two comments my pastor makes about faith have really stuck with me. One is:
The most dramatic evidence of faith is obedience.
We sometimes look for ways to prove our faith that are over the top. But there is no more dramatic evidence of our faith than our day in, day out obedience to the One we believe in.
The other is:
If you were accused of being a follower of Christ in any/every area of your life (workplace, school, community...even amongst your enemies), would there be enough evidence to convict you?
I want there to be overwhelming evidence. But genuine faith will produce it. So I am not trying to create evidence to prove I have faith. I am constantly reminding myself that the evidence (fruit) will naturally come as I increasingly believe God and His promises. Where I don't obey, I obviously must not fully believe and trust God. I remind myself that every time I start to rely on myself.
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