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Does God really accept us the way we are?
No. No He doesn't.
But I'll tell you what He does do. As you believe the Gospel, in Jesus and His perfect and finished work on the cross:
He takes your sin, guilt, and shame and places it on Christ, while He takes Christ's perfect righteousness and places it on you.
He never accepts you as you are; He accepts you as Christ is.
This is good news.
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Adoption
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Does God really accept us the way we are?
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"Children are suffering from a hidden epidemic of child abuse and neglect. Over 3 million reports of child abuse are made every year in the United States; however, those reports can include multiple children. In 2007, approximately 5.8 million children were involved in an estimated 3.2 million child abuse reports and allegations." via ChildHelp.org.
" >Preventing Orphan Care- "A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds.
- Almost five children die every day as a result of child abuse. More than three out of four are under the age of 4.
- It is estimated that between 60-85% of child fatalities due to maltreatment are not recorded as such on death certificates.
- 90% of child sexual abuse victims know the perpetrator in some way; 68% are abused by family members.
- Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education.
- 31% percent of women in prison in the United States were abused as children.
- Over 60% of people in drug rehabilitation centers report being abused or neglectedas a child.
- About 30% of abused and neglected childrenwill later abuse their own children,continuing the horrible cycle of abuse.
- About 80% of 21 year old that were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder.
- The estimated annual cost of child abuse and neglect in the United States for 2007 is $104 billion.
- Abused children are 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy.
- Abused teens are 3 times less likely to practice safe sex, putting them at greater risk for STDs.
Read more statistics here.The issue of orphan care is not just about orphans; it's about potential orphans, but more specifically parents who have the power to prevent children from becoming orphans. It's not just about children. This is about parents who are being parents.This is why parents need the Gospel. Because of the Gospel, "be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. ... Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 5:1-2; 6:4).The Gospel changes everything even the prevention of doing orphan care.
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Position
Where does this verse fall in this epistle? Paul writes this statement after he explains and expresses the Gospel. We could say 2 Corinthians is a follow-up of 1 Corinthians, and in both epistles, Paul continually points us to the Gospel. And only after pointing us to the Gospel does Paul give us commands, things we ought to do.
But as Dave Gill explains, "If someone says "God commanded it, so we must be able to do it," RUN. God's commands force reliance on Him, not tell what is possible."
As I have stressed before, many times before, all of our good works are perfected by and through Christ's finished work on the cross and the good works we do are the fruit of the Spirit's Gospel-Applying work in our lives. In fact, our good works are fruit and the power to defend ourselves is fruit, as well. Scotty Smith hits the point with, "Don't focus on the 'how to's' of the Christian life as much as the 'Who did'".
So how do we reconcile this fruit of the Spirit's Gospel-Applying work in our lives? Simply put, and I hope this is not oversimplifying the issue, we are free to do all that we can for God's glory.
We don't have to worry about what others think because the only Person who loves us and fully and completely accepts us is pleased with us because He sees us as "in Christ" and we have Christ's righteousness.
We are not trying to gain God's favor. Christ has already gained it for us and in our place. That work is finished.
The power of our idols and sin is broken. 1 Corinthians 15:50ff. We are free. We are free to love God and love others.
Because of this freedom in Christ, we can do all we can for God's glory in Christ. And it is the good works in this freedom for which we will be judged. There is now no excuse to exhort each other to love and good works. "For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
"16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. [2] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling [3] the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
And this is good news! This motivates us to share the Good News of the Gospel because we are motivated by the Gospel to do these things. And this is why I focus on the Gospel so much - it is the motivation for us to do the good works for which we will be judged. And we definitely need motivation. There is only one sustaining motivation for the Christian. It is the Gospel.
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>Motivation For Doing Good Works for Which We Will be JudgedReally? And we know this for sure?
What drives me nuts about statements such as this is they are commands. If love is simply a decision, then I can love anybody at any time. Right? Right?
But can I truly love on demand? You are certainly a better person than I if you can love on demand. I can't do it.
And this is where the Gospel steps in. John tells us "We love because he [God] first loved us." And John couples this great truth with "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannott love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."
And this is good news. I can only love when I see that I am as unloving as they come, yet God in Christ first loved me! And this is my motivation to love others. When I see that God has loved me and demonstrated this great love for me in Jesus on the cross, I can love others because the Spirit of love indwells me and loving others becomes a fruit of the Spirits Gospel-applying work in my life. (See Galatians 5).
And then I can love God and love others upon which all the commands hang.
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>Loving God and Loving OthersThis is why the Gospel is vital. Otherwise, everything is just social but no Gospel. This is a new Social-Gospel. The right kind.
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>A New Social GospelThis is why the Gospel is central to our theology. Is there much more to Christianity than the gospel? Yes. However, all of the law and prophets, loving God and loving others must flow from and out of the Gospel. We love because God first loved us. Our love becomes fruit of the Spirit's work in our lives (See Galatians 5).
Let's think of this in other ways.
Questions to ask:
How do we become godly?
"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence" (1 Peter 1:3).
Jesus is our godliness.
How do we become holy?
"And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).
Jesus is our holiness. Jesus is our righteousness. Jesus is our sanctification. Jesus is our redemption.
How do we gain wisdom?
"And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).
Jesus is our wisdom.
Do you see a pattern here?
More Patterns
Romans
Paul expounds on the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
1 Corinthians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
2 Corinthians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Galatians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Ephesians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Philippians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Colossians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
1 Thessalonians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
2 Thessalonians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
1 Timothy
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
2 Timothy
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Titus
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Philemon
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Look at the letters. See what Paul does. He shares the Gospel and then explains what needs to be done. In Paul's mind, the Gospel is the motivation for our doing. Without exception.
If we are to mimic Paul's pattern, we must preach the Gospel and use it as the motivation for doing the law.
Why use the Gospel as motivation?
Firstly, Romans 5:20 explains, "Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more," This means, if we use the law alone to motivate people, we will increase the trespass. That's it purpose!
But the Gospel is life.
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith,t as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." (Romans 1:16-17).
What is the power of God for salvation? The Gospel!! The word salvation is far more than just the entrance into the Christian life. It is a far more pregnant word than that!
Now go back to all of the letters of Paul (including Romans!). What is a common thread with all of them? All are written to believers. That's right, believers!
What does this tell us? The Gospel is not just for the unsaved. It is for believers, too !!
To relegate the Gospel to just the entrance of the Christian faith is to exchange Good News for a law we cannot fulfill. The Gospel produces fruit in our lives; yes, the fruit of Christ's Spirit.
Further, the other doctrines of the Christian life also flow from and out of the Gospel. You cannot separate other doctrines from the Gospel. If you view the Gospel as only the entrance to the Christian life, you've robbed yourself of the freeing, joyful, motivation of doing what God commands us to do - namely - love God and love others upon which all the law hangs.
Do you think the Gospel is only the door to the Christian life? You've not meditated on the Gospel; that is, the Person and Work of Jesus - His personhood, birth, life, death, and resurrection.
When the Gospel is our motivation to our doing, our burden is light! And our doing becomes fruit of God's work in and through the Gospel in and us.
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>The Gospel is the Center of Christianity We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. 7 There is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities. 8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord, and remember not iniquity forever. Behold, please look, we are all your people.10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness; Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.11 Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised you, has been burned by fire, and all our pleasant places have become ruins.12 Will you restrain yourself at these things, O Lord? Will you keep silent, and afflict us so terribly?
Believer, even your:
Eating to God's glory is as filthy rags to God.
Sharing the Gospel to people is as filthy rags to God.
Faith in Jesus is as filthy rags to God.
Best good works to help others is as filthy rags to God.
Best and holy thought is as filthy rags to God.
Worship to God is as filthy rags to God.
But there is hope! Ephesians explains,
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Our eating to God's glory, sharing the Gospel to people, best good works to help others, best and holy thought, and worship to God and even our faith in Jesus is perfected in Jesus. Jesus did all of these things perfectly, for us and in our place.
This is why Paul says, "we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works". Jesus has done all that is required of us so that even our faith and worship is the fruit of his finished work on the cross.
This is good news! Those who believe in Jesus have an Alien Righteousness. And it is Jesus righteousness that produces fruit of faith and good works in our lives. Let us live in them. Let us believe the Good News of Jesus. This is the Gospel.
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>Even Our Worship is FilthyI awoke to a song on the radio about grace. Mmm.... Grace.
My thoughts turned to what is commonly known by theologians (pardon the pun) as common grace, as well as, special grace.
Both kinds of grace are mediated through Jesus.
John 1:3 explains, "All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made." In other words, everything that exists is because it was created and made by Jesus. Romans 11:36 conveys this fact, "For from Him (Jesus) and through Him (Jesus) and to Him (Jesus) are all things. To Him (Jesus) be glory forever. Amen."
Do you realize, you are alive this very moment by the power of Jesus? Hebrews 1:3 tells us, "He (Jesus) is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of his power."
This is common to all of creation. All of creation is upheld by the word of his power!
Mmm.... Grace!
Now what is so special about special grace? Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
It is this special grace that saves us. Paul continues in Ephesians, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Mmm... Grace!
It is grace in Jesus that creates us. It is grace in Jesus that re-creates us through faith in Him. This is nothing of our own doing.
We have nothing to do with our first birth, and we have nothing to do with our second birth. It is all of grace.
And those good works we so want to do for God? Jesus is fruiting through us. In other words, it is the fruit of what Jesus has done on the cross that blooms in our lives (See Galatians 5).
This is good news! This is the Gospel because it is all of Jesus. This is grace.
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>THIS Is GraceAll kinds of evil, pain, and suffering you go through can color the lens by which you approach this question.
Loss of job, cancer of any stripe, death itself, financial debt, watching friends or family suffer, floods, homelessness, orphans, the list can go on and on.
We do not think much about pain and suffering, until, that is, pain and suffering affects us personally.
Pain and suffering only makes us sit up and listen when it's personal.
So when we go through a traumatic experience of any sort, we ask, "If God is good..." We think, "God can't love me and he can't be all powerful since he's letting me go through this!"
Scripture tells us that Jesus, Who is God by the way, was tempted in everything that is common to man:
Hebrews 2:17 Therefore, He (Jesus) had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.
Question: During a hurricane, which tree feels the full force of the storm? The tree which never falls but stands firm until the end.
Jesus stood firm to the end--the end that is death--even the death of the cross being forsaken by the Father. He did this so that WE would never be forsaken, but fully and gloriously accepted and loved by the Father. Jesus is the one in whom we must trust because He has gone through the greatest pain and suffering anyone has ever gone through--standing firm to the end.
Jesus did this for us and in our place. To the end.
You are not left unto yourself, that is, if you trust Jesus. Trust Jesus and rest in His finished work on the cross.
"
>If God is Good, Why is there Evil, Pain, and Suffering?People love, love, love their religion. Religion makes us feel good. When we participate in religion, we gain a sense of accomplishment. A sense that we are actually doing something good for God. We think we are accepted by God based on our doing.
Surrender to God? Check. Loving others? Check. Seeking peace? Check. Acceptable to God? Not so much (See Isaiah 64:6).
These things are fruit. Fruit of the Spirit--the Spirit of Christ that dwells within us.
There is a difference between focusing on the Gospel and focusing on the fruit of the Gospel.
Focusing on "surrender" inherently draws our attention and action inwardly. "Can I muster enough effort to surrender enough?" But focusing on the Gospel automatically motivates me to surrender.
Do you see the difference? This is subtle but so freeing. One is looking at the fruit, but the other looks to the Tree of Life (Jesus and His Gospel) and the fruit of looking at the Gospel is produced in our lives.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
The fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5 is not an exhaustive list. We could add surrender to Jesus, humility, wisdom, godliness, growing in faith for faith, eating and drinking to the glory of God, abhorring and running from sin, orphan care, and the list could go on and on.
The bottom line: Pursuing the fruit establishes religion. Looking to Jesus and His Good News (the Gospel) produces fruit.
Pursuing the fruit is religion. Pursuing the Gospel is Christianity.
"
>Pursuing the Gospel or Its Fruit?Apologetics
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Does God really accept us the way we are?
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"Children are suffering from a hidden epidemic of child abuse and neglect. Over 3 million reports of child abuse are made every year in the United States; however, those reports can include multiple children. In 2007, approximately 5.8 million children were involved in an estimated 3.2 million child abuse reports and allegations." via ChildHelp.org." >Preventing Orphan Care
- "A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds.
- Almost five children die every day as a result of child abuse. More than three out of four are under the age of 4.
- It is estimated that between 60-85% of child fatalities due to maltreatment are not recorded as such on death certificates.
- 90% of child sexual abuse victims know the perpetrator in some way; 68% are abused by family members.
- Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education.
- 31% percent of women in prison in the United States were abused as children.
- Over 60% of people in drug rehabilitation centers report being abused or neglectedas a child.
- About 30% of abused and neglected childrenwill later abuse their own children,continuing the horrible cycle of abuse.
- About 80% of 21 year old that were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder.
- The estimated annual cost of child abuse and neglect in the United States for 2007 is $104 billion.
- Abused children are 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy.
- Abused teens are 3 times less likely to practice safe sex, putting them at greater risk for STDs.
Read more statistics here.The issue of orphan care is not just about orphans; it's about potential orphans, but more specifically parents who have the power to prevent children from becoming orphans. It's not just about children. This is about parents who are being parents.This is why parents need the Gospel. Because of the Gospel, "be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. ... Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 5:1-2; 6:4).The Gospel changes everything even the prevention of doing orphan care.
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Position
Where does this verse fall in this epistle? Paul writes this statement after he explains and expresses the Gospel. We could say 2 Corinthians is a follow-up of 1 Corinthians, and in both epistles, Paul continually points us to the Gospel. And only after pointing us to the Gospel does Paul give us commands, things we ought to do.
But as Dave Gill explains, "If someone says "God commanded it, so we must be able to do it," RUN. God's commands force reliance on Him, not tell what is possible."
As I have stressed before, many times before, all of our good works are perfected by and through Christ's finished work on the cross and the good works we do are the fruit of the Spirit's Gospel-Applying work in our lives. In fact, our good works are fruit and the power to defend ourselves is fruit, as well. Scotty Smith hits the point with, "Don't focus on the 'how to's' of the Christian life as much as the 'Who did'".
So how do we reconcile this fruit of the Spirit's Gospel-Applying work in our lives? Simply put, and I hope this is not oversimplifying the issue, we are free to do all that we can for God's glory.
We don't have to worry about what others think because the only Person who loves us and fully and completely accepts us is pleased with us because He sees us as "in Christ" and we have Christ's righteousness.
We are not trying to gain God's favor. Christ has already gained it for us and in our place. That work is finished.
The power of our idols and sin is broken. 1 Corinthians 15:50ff. We are free. We are free to love God and love others.
Because of this freedom in Christ, we can do all we can for God's glory in Christ. And it is the good works in this freedom for which we will be judged. There is now no excuse to exhort each other to love and good works. "For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
"16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. [2] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling [3] the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
And this is good news! This motivates us to share the Good News of the Gospel because we are motivated by the Gospel to do these things. And this is why I focus on the Gospel so much - it is the motivation for us to do the good works for which we will be judged. And we definitely need motivation. There is only one sustaining motivation for the Christian. It is the Gospel.
"
>Motivation For Doing Good Works for Which We Will be JudgedReally? And we know this for sure?
What drives me nuts about statements such as this is they are commands. If love is simply a decision, then I can love anybody at any time. Right? Right?
But can I truly love on demand? You are certainly a better person than I if you can love on demand. I can't do it.
And this is where the Gospel steps in. John tells us "We love because he [God] first loved us." And John couples this great truth with "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannott love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."
And this is good news. I can only love when I see that I am as unloving as they come, yet God in Christ first loved me! And this is my motivation to love others. When I see that God has loved me and demonstrated this great love for me in Jesus on the cross, I can love others because the Spirit of love indwells me and loving others becomes a fruit of the Spirits Gospel-applying work in my life. (See Galatians 5).
And then I can love God and love others upon which all the commands hang.
"
>Loving God and Loving OthersThis is why the Gospel is vital. Otherwise, everything is just social but no Gospel. This is a new Social-Gospel. The right kind.
"
>A New Social GospelThis is why the Gospel is central to our theology. Is there much more to Christianity than the gospel? Yes. However, all of the law and prophets, loving God and loving others must flow from and out of the Gospel. We love because God first loved us. Our love becomes fruit of the Spirit's work in our lives (See Galatians 5).
Let's think of this in other ways.
Questions to ask:
How do we become godly?
"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence" (1 Peter 1:3).
Jesus is our godliness.
How do we become holy?
"And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).
Jesus is our holiness. Jesus is our righteousness. Jesus is our sanctification. Jesus is our redemption.
How do we gain wisdom?
"And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).
Jesus is our wisdom.
Do you see a pattern here?
More Patterns
Romans
Paul expounds on the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
1 Corinthians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
2 Corinthians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Galatians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Ephesians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Philippians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Colossians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
1 Thessalonians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
2 Thessalonians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
1 Timothy
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
2 Timothy
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Titus
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Philemon
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Look at the letters. See what Paul does. He shares the Gospel and then explains what needs to be done. In Paul's mind, the Gospel is the motivation for our doing. Without exception.
If we are to mimic Paul's pattern, we must preach the Gospel and use it as the motivation for doing the law.
Why use the Gospel as motivation?
Firstly, Romans 5:20 explains, "Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more," This means, if we use the law alone to motivate people, we will increase the trespass. That's it purpose!
But the Gospel is life.
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith,t as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." (Romans 1:16-17).
What is the power of God for salvation? The Gospel!! The word salvation is far more than just the entrance into the Christian life. It is a far more pregnant word than that!
Now go back to all of the letters of Paul (including Romans!). What is a common thread with all of them? All are written to believers. That's right, believers!
What does this tell us? The Gospel is not just for the unsaved. It is for believers, too !!
To relegate the Gospel to just the entrance of the Christian faith is to exchange Good News for a law we cannot fulfill. The Gospel produces fruit in our lives; yes, the fruit of Christ's Spirit.
Further, the other doctrines of the Christian life also flow from and out of the Gospel. You cannot separate other doctrines from the Gospel. If you view the Gospel as only the entrance to the Christian life, you've robbed yourself of the freeing, joyful, motivation of doing what God commands us to do - namely - love God and love others upon which all the law hangs.
Do you think the Gospel is only the door to the Christian life? You've not meditated on the Gospel; that is, the Person and Work of Jesus - His personhood, birth, life, death, and resurrection.
When the Gospel is our motivation to our doing, our burden is light! And our doing becomes fruit of God's work in and through the Gospel in and us.
"
>The Gospel is the Center of Christianity We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. 7 There is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities. 8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord, and remember not iniquity forever. Behold, please look, we are all your people.10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness; Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.11 Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised you, has been burned by fire, and all our pleasant places have become ruins.12 Will you restrain yourself at these things, O Lord? Will you keep silent, and afflict us so terribly?
Believer, even your:
Eating to God's glory is as filthy rags to God.
Sharing the Gospel to people is as filthy rags to God.
Faith in Jesus is as filthy rags to God.
Best good works to help others is as filthy rags to God.
Best and holy thought is as filthy rags to God.
Worship to God is as filthy rags to God.
But there is hope! Ephesians explains,
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Our eating to God's glory, sharing the Gospel to people, best good works to help others, best and holy thought, and worship to God and even our faith in Jesus is perfected in Jesus. Jesus did all of these things perfectly, for us and in our place.
This is why Paul says, "we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works". Jesus has done all that is required of us so that even our faith and worship is the fruit of his finished work on the cross.
This is good news! Those who believe in Jesus have an Alien Righteousness. And it is Jesus righteousness that produces fruit of faith and good works in our lives. Let us live in them. Let us believe the Good News of Jesus. This is the Gospel.
"
>Even Our Worship is FilthyI awoke to a song on the radio about grace. Mmm.... Grace.
My thoughts turned to what is commonly known by theologians (pardon the pun) as common grace, as well as, special grace.
Both kinds of grace are mediated through Jesus.
John 1:3 explains, "All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made." In other words, everything that exists is because it was created and made by Jesus. Romans 11:36 conveys this fact, "For from Him (Jesus) and through Him (Jesus) and to Him (Jesus) are all things. To Him (Jesus) be glory forever. Amen."
Do you realize, you are alive this very moment by the power of Jesus? Hebrews 1:3 tells us, "He (Jesus) is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of his power."
This is common to all of creation. All of creation is upheld by the word of his power!
Mmm.... Grace!
Now what is so special about special grace? Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."
It is this special grace that saves us. Paul continues in Ephesians, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Mmm... Grace!
It is grace in Jesus that creates us. It is grace in Jesus that re-creates us through faith in Him. This is nothing of our own doing.
We have nothing to do with our first birth, and we have nothing to do with our second birth. It is all of grace.
And those good works we so want to do for God? Jesus is fruiting through us. In other words, it is the fruit of what Jesus has done on the cross that blooms in our lives (See Galatians 5).
This is good news! This is the Gospel because it is all of Jesus. This is grace.
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>THIS Is GraceAll kinds of evil, pain, and suffering you go through can color the lens by which you approach this question.
Loss of job, cancer of any stripe, death itself, financial debt, watching friends or family suffer, floods, homelessness, orphans, the list can go on and on.
We do not think much about pain and suffering, until, that is, pain and suffering affects us personally.
Pain and suffering only makes us sit up and listen when it's personal.
So when we go through a traumatic experience of any sort, we ask, "If God is good..." We think, "God can't love me and he can't be all powerful since he's letting me go through this!"
Scripture tells us that Jesus, Who is God by the way, was tempted in everything that is common to man:
Hebrews 2:17 Therefore, He (Jesus) had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.
Question: During a hurricane, which tree feels the full force of the storm? The tree which never falls but stands firm until the end.
Jesus stood firm to the end--the end that is death--even the death of the cross being forsaken by the Father. He did this so that WE would never be forsaken, but fully and gloriously accepted and loved by the Father. Jesus is the one in whom we must trust because He has gone through the greatest pain and suffering anyone has ever gone through--standing firm to the end.
Jesus did this for us and in our place. To the end.
You are not left unto yourself, that is, if you trust Jesus. Trust Jesus and rest in His finished work on the cross.
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>If God is Good, Why is there Evil, Pain, and Suffering?People love, love, love their religion. Religion makes us feel good. When we participate in religion, we gain a sense of accomplishment. A sense that we are actually doing something good for God. We think we are accepted by God based on our doing.
Surrender to God? Check. Loving others? Check. Seeking peace? Check. Acceptable to God? Not so much (See Isaiah 64:6).
These things are fruit. Fruit of the Spirit--the Spirit of Christ that dwells within us.
There is a difference between focusing on the Gospel and focusing on the fruit of the Gospel.
Focusing on "surrender" inherently draws our attention and action inwardly. "Can I muster enough effort to surrender enough?" But focusing on the Gospel automatically motivates me to surrender.
Do you see the difference? This is subtle but so freeing. One is looking at the fruit, but the other looks to the Tree of Life (Jesus and His Gospel) and the fruit of looking at the Gospel is produced in our lives.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
The fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5 is not an exhaustive list. We could add surrender to Jesus, humility, wisdom, godliness, growing in faith for faith, eating and drinking to the glory of God, abhorring and running from sin, orphan care, and the list could go on and on.
The bottom line: Pursuing the fruit establishes religion. Looking to Jesus and His Good News (the Gospel) produces fruit.
Pursuing the fruit is religion. Pursuing the Gospel is Christianity.
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>Pursuing the Gospel or Its Fruit?Biblical Resources
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Does God really accept us the way we are?
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"Children are suffering from a hidden epidemic of child abuse and neglect. Over 3 million reports of child abuse are made every year in the United States; however, those reports can include multiple children. In 2007, approximately 5.8 million children were involved in an estimated 3.2 million child abuse reports and allegations." via ChildHelp.org." >Preventing Orphan Care
- "A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds.
- Almost five children die every day as a result of child abuse. More than three out of four are under the age of 4.
- It is estimated that between 60-85% of child fatalities due to maltreatment are not recorded as such on death certificates.
- 90% of child sexual abuse victims know the perpetrator in some way; 68% are abused by family members.
- Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across ethnic and cultural lines, within all religions and at all levels of education.
- 31% percent of women in prison in the United States were abused as children.
- Over 60% of people in drug rehabilitation centers report being abused or neglectedas a child.
- About 30% of abused and neglected childrenwill later abuse their own children,continuing the horrible cycle of abuse.
- About 80% of 21 year old that were abused as children met criteria for at least one psychological disorder.
- The estimated annual cost of child abuse and neglect in the United States for 2007 is $104 billion.
- Abused children are 25% more likely to experience teen pregnancy.
- Abused teens are 3 times less likely to practice safe sex, putting them at greater risk for STDs.
Read more statistics here.The issue of orphan care is not just about orphans; it's about potential orphans, but more specifically parents who have the power to prevent children from becoming orphans. It's not just about children. This is about parents who are being parents.This is why parents need the Gospel. Because of the Gospel, "be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. ... Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 5:1-2; 6:4).The Gospel changes everything even the prevention of doing orphan care.
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Position
Where does this verse fall in this epistle? Paul writes this statement after he explains and expresses the Gospel. We could say 2 Corinthians is a follow-up of 1 Corinthians, and in both epistles, Paul continually points us to the Gospel. And only after pointing us to the Gospel does Paul give us commands, things we ought to do.
But as Dave Gill explains, "If someone says "God commanded it, so we must be able to do it," RUN. God's commands force reliance on Him, not tell what is possible."
As I have stressed before, many times before, all of our good works are perfected by and through Christ's finished work on the cross and the good works we do are the fruit of the Spirit's Gospel-Applying work in our lives. In fact, our good works are fruit and the power to defend ourselves is fruit, as well. Scotty Smith hits the point with, "Don't focus on the 'how to's' of the Christian life as much as the 'Who did'".
So how do we reconcile this fruit of the Spirit's Gospel-Applying work in our lives? Simply put, and I hope this is not oversimplifying the issue, we are free to do all that we can for God's glory.
We don't have to worry about what others think because the only Person who loves us and fully and completely accepts us is pleased with us because He sees us as "in Christ" and we have Christ's righteousness.
We are not trying to gain God's favor. Christ has already gained it for us and in our place. That work is finished.
The power of our idols and sin is broken. 1 Corinthians 15:50ff. We are free. We are free to love God and love others.
Because of this freedom in Christ, we can do all we can for God's glory in Christ. And it is the good works in this freedom for which we will be judged. There is now no excuse to exhort each other to love and good works. "For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
"16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. [2] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling [3] the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
And this is good news! This motivates us to share the Good News of the Gospel because we are motivated by the Gospel to do these things. And this is why I focus on the Gospel so much - it is the motivation for us to do the good works for which we will be judged. And we definitely need motivation. There is only one sustaining motivation for the Christian. It is the Gospel.
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>Motivation For Doing Good Works for Which We Will be JudgedReally? And we know this for sure?
What drives me nuts about statements such as this is they are commands. If love is simply a decision, then I can love anybody at any time. Right? Right?
But can I truly love on demand? You are certainly a better person than I if you can love on demand. I can't do it.
And this is where the Gospel steps in. John tells us "We love because he [God] first loved us." And John couples this great truth with "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannott love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."
And this is good news. I can only love when I see that I am as unloving as they come, yet God in Christ first loved me! And this is my motivation to love others. When I see that God has loved me and demonstrated this great love for me in Jesus on the cross, I can love others because the Spirit of love indwells me and loving others becomes a fruit of the Spirits Gospel-applying work in my life. (See Galatians 5).
And then I can love God and love others upon which all the commands hang.
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>Loving God and Loving OthersThis is why the Gospel is vital. Otherwise, everything is just social but no Gospel. This is a new Social-Gospel. The right kind.
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>A New Social GospelThis is why the Gospel is central to our theology. Is there much more to Christianity than the gospel? Yes. However, all of the law and prophets, loving God and loving others must flow from and out of the Gospel. We love because God first loved us. Our love becomes fruit of the Spirit's work in our lives (See Galatians 5).
Let's think of this in other ways.
Questions to ask:
How do we become godly?
"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence" (1 Peter 1:3).
Jesus is our godliness.
How do we become holy?
"And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).
Jesus is our holiness. Jesus is our righteousness. Jesus is our sanctification. Jesus is our redemption.
How do we gain wisdom?
"And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).
Jesus is our wisdom.
Do you see a pattern here?
More Patterns
Romans
Paul expounds on the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
1 Corinthians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
2 Corinthians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Galatians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Ephesians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Philippians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Colossians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
1 Thessalonians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
2 Thessalonians
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
1 Timothy
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
2 Timothy
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Titus
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Philemon
Paul explains the Gospel and then tells us what we need to do. The Gospel is the motivation for our doing.
Look at the letters. See what Paul does. He shares the Gospel and then explains what needs to be done. In Paul's mind, the Gospel is the motivation for our doing. Without exception.
If we are to mimic Paul's pattern, we must preach the Gospel and use it as the motivation for doing the law.
Why use the Gospel as motivation?
Firstly, Romans 5:20 explains, "Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more," This means, if we use the law alone to motivate people, we will increase the trespass. That's it purpose!
But the Gospel is life.
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith,t as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." (Romans 1:16-17).
What is the power of God for salvation? The Gospel!! The word salvation is far more than just the entrance into the Christian life. It is a far more pregnant word than that!
Now go back to all of the letters of Paul (including Romans!). What is a common thread with all of them? All are written to believers. That's right, believers!
What does this tell us? The Gospel is not just for the unsaved. It is for believers, too !!
To relegate the Gospel to just the entrance of the Christian faith is to exchange Good News for a law we cannot fulfill. The Gospel produces fruit in our lives; yes, the fruit of Christ's Spirit.
Further, the other doctrines of the Christian life also flow from and out of the Gospel. You cannot separate other doctrines from the Gospel. If you view the Gospel as only the entrance to the Christian life, you've robbed yourself of the freeing, joyful, motivation of doing what God commands us to do - namely - love God and love others upon which all the law hangs.
Do you think the Gospel is only the door to the Christian life? You've not meditated on the Gospel; that is, the Person and Work of Jesus - His personhood, birth, life, death, and resurrection.
When the Gospel is our motivation to our doing, our burden is light! And our doing becomes fruit of God's work in and through the Gospel in and us.
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>The Gospel is the Center of Christianity We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. 7 There is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities. 8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord, and remember not iniquity forever. Behold, please look, we are all your people.10 Your holy cities have become a wilderness; Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.11 Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised you, has been burned by fire, and all our pleasant places have become ruins.12 Will you restrain yourself at these things, O Lord? Will you keep silent, and afflict us so terribly?
Believer, even your:
Eating to God's glory is as filthy rags to God.
Sharing the Gospel to people is as filthy rags to God.
Faith in Jesus is as filthy rags to God.
Best good works to help others is as filthy rags to God.
Best and holy thought is as filthy rags to God.
Worship to God is as filthy rags to God.
But there is hope! Ephesians explains,
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Our eating to God's glory, sharing the Gospel to people, best good works to help others, best and holy thought, and worship to God and even our faith in Jesus is perfected in Jesus. Jesus did all of these things perfectly, for us and in our place.
This is why Paul says, "we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works". Jesus has done all that is required of us so that even our faith and worship is the fruit of his finished work on the cross.
This is good news! Those who believe in Jesus have an Alien Righteousness. And it is Jesus righteousness that produces fruit of faith and good works in our lives. Let us live in them. Let us believe the Good News of Jesus. This is the Gospel.
"
>Even Our Worship is Filthy
