God in His infinite wisdom made a way for us to know for sure we are saved. Even if we stumble and fall He gave us the Holy Spirit. If we will simply seek after God and abide in Him we will immediately repent of our wrong believing and quit focusing on our poor behavior.
Now that we’ve gotten to the point that works are not unto righteousness, but that works come out of grace, I don’t want you to get into bondage of works. Trying so hard to be good enough for God is in itself sin. Doing so misses the mark and goes against the will of God.
I used to enjoy asking this question when we were ministering in the prisons. “How many here are just trying to live for Jesus everyday?” Of course, as you might expect, every hand went up in the air. What else would someone believe when they have received false teachings that lead to religious tendencies? I would then quickly say, put your hands down. First of all, there’s no way you can live for Jesus and secondly He never asked you to.
Living this Christian life is not easy, IT’S IMPOSSIBLE!!! Then I would tell them that Jesus came to earth to live, die, be buried and be raised from the dead to live again for us, through us and in us.
Here it comes again. I love this statement. “Holiness is not a requirement for God to have a relationship with you.” I didn’t say holiness is not important. I said God does not wait for you to get holy enough before He feels compelled to love you. Besides, you will never GET holy enough for God. Just study my teaching called “Holiness”.
But, what is the will of God? Well there are many scriptural references. For instance, John 6:40, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, and 1 Peter 2:15. Don’t forget this one in Matthew 6:10. It says “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”. Also, look at this scripture. Col 1:27 – to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
When you try to do it yourself you set up a personal law that you must follow. Now that law is in you, tormenting you and you will break it. We all have the problem of setting too high a standard for ourselves. All that does is condemn us when we make a mistake.
It takes no power to condemn, but it takes all of God’s power to convict. If we’ll just rest in Him. In the finished work of the cross. Let Christ live in us and through us. Know that He’s sealed us unto Himself. Believe that He will guide us and protect us. Then we’ll have no bondage and no worry that we might commit a sin. No fear.
Why fear? Do you know what fear is? False Evidence Appearing Real. But God gave us something much more powerful. It’s His everlasting renewed grace. God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. If we’ll just get to know His grace and love is endless the question of sin and the law becomes mute. Paul said it best in Romans 8:31-39.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Get this securely in your heart. God is for you. It doesn’t matter what everyone or anyone else says. God is for you. You and God make a majority. One word from God puts you in control.
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Jesus was delivered up for everybody. God did something that works for everyone. In receiving that great gift, all things become yours. I want to restate something here that I’ve said in other teachings. God sacrificed the very life, for those who caused the death, of the very life He sacrificed.
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
There are many who will try to accuse you, but God has already accepted you. He justified you through the shed blood of Jesus at Calvary. Too late. You cannot be condemned when you’re already accepted.
34 Who is He that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
The only one who has the right to condemn you is Jesus, and He doesn’t, He didn’t and He won’t. What He will do is continue to take your place through intercession for you and He is your mediator and advocate before the Father.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul was persuaded. Not because he was so pure and holy. Paul was persuaded because he knew even if he made a mistake, God still loved him and God’s grace was sufficient. We will finish this up in part 4. Grace and Peace.
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