Tuesday, May 27, 2014

A GOD WHO LOVES AND FORGIVES


A GOD WHO LOVES AND FORGIVES

There's a GOD standing at heaven's door,

And HE's looking this universe o'er;

And HE sees each mortal with a searching eye,

You can't do wrong and get by.

[from  song by R.E.Winsett]

1. Will God really forgive our sins?

    Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive?  But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you.”  Psalms 130:3-4 (NLT)

    a) Sins have a way of coming out.

    Recent headlines have focused on some who got caught when their sins found them out.  God is very much aware of what we do.  But HE is also a GOD who forgives sin.

    “For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.  Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.”  Luke 12:2-3

    "He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.  For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;  As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us."  Psalms 103:10-12.

    b) God wants us to be holy.

    "Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.  Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”  Eph 4:23-24 (NLT)

    A change of lifestyle is possible because of Christ the New Man.

    c) Some are currently debating: How much sin can be in our lives and we still be saved?  I believe this is taking hold of the wrong end.  We go by what the Bible actually says.  And John the Apostle already dealt with this question.

    "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." 1 John 1:7-10

    “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” 1 John 3:23

    c) We are told to pray for one another's forgiveness.

    "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death."  1 John 5:16-17

    Alford (Greek Testament) says the "sin unto death" is an appreciable ACT of sin, namely, the denying Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God (in contrast to confessing this truth, 1John 5:1,5; 1 John 2:19,22; 1 John 4:2,3; 1 John 5:10).  This is what some were doing in blaspheming the Holy Spirit, Matt. 12:31. 

2. Christ in you the hope of glory.

    "To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus."  Col 1:27-28

    "To the saints he would reveal the glory of the mystery. The glory of the mystery is Christ in you. Christ dwelling in the saved and filling their hearts with the hope of glory.  Every man. Note that this is repeated three times in the verse. The apostle impresses the fact that the gospel is not for a few favored ones, but for every one. In all wisdom. In every form of wisdom. Perfect. We should all aim at perfection; the apostle aims to bring all to this ideal. The high ideal is before, for which we all should aim. However, he whose sins are all blotted out will be counted perfect in the great day."  —People's New Testament (Johnson's Notes).

    a) Satan cast down.

    "Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down."  Rev 12:10

    b) Christ bears the sins of many.

    "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation."  Hebrews 9:27-28

There is one thing I can boast of, salvation from the fall,

I'm an heir to wealth in glory, my Father owns it all.

That's why I'm shouting happy, and go at His command,

For I want to be ready, to meet Him in glory land!

[from a song by R.E.Winsett]

     "Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world.  Lamb of God, You grant eternal life.  I approach Your throne with confidence, where there is grace for my need.  Take away my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.  Fill me with Your truth & light.  I want to be right with You! "

I AM THE CHURCH


I Am The Church    [adapted from Dave Mason]

    I am the Church Triumphant - People redeemed by the Lamb of God.  [Col. 2:13-15.]  (“God made you alive with Christ.”)

    Jesus said: “I will build My church...I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.”  [Matt. 16:18-19.]

    “For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.”  Col 1:13-14 (NLT)

    “And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.”  Matt 8:11

    “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands.  And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”  Rev 7:9-10 (NLT)

 

    I am the Stone which Daniel saw, cut out without hands, filling the whole world.  I am the Kingdom which can never be destroyed.  I was born in the streets of Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost spoken about in Acts 2.

 

    I am millions (and billions) of believers living and dying faithfully for the sake of Christ Jesus over the past 2,000 years.  I am also the men and women of faith who will live in the future before our Lord Comes Again.  [Rev. 7:9-17.]

 

    I am Peter, Barnabas, and Paul.  I am Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Phoebe, Lois and Eunice.  I was there in a room in Jerusalem as tongues of fire landed on the 120 disciples.  I spoke in languages never learned.  3,000 people “obeyed the gospel” that day, responding to the message of hope & salvation which Peter preached.  Joel’s prophecy was fulfilled.  God’s New Covenant is now in effect!

 

    I am the souls of those persecuted, crucified, burned at the stake, imprisoned, beaten, and tortured.  I am the souls of those under the altar who had been killed for the faith, shouting out to the Lord: “Almighty Lord, faithful and true!” [Rev. 6:9-11.]

 

    I met in the Temple at Jerusalem for a while, growing to be 100,000 or more.  Many beautiful buildings have housed me and my people.  I am a kingdom not made with hands.  I am a kingdom not of this world.  I am the first fruits of the glory to come in Eternity.

 

    I am a Bible study in a home in the remotest jungle of Africa.  I am a group meeting in a Chinese prison.  I am 10,000 people lifting up their voices to God in a rented football stadium.  I am Vacation Bible School, Sunday school, and I am a teacher helping a child to draw a picture of the prodigal son.  I am a preacher comforting a family at a graveside.  I am a helper delivering the Lord’s Supper to a homebound person.

 

    I am the women’s class, the senior citizens, and I am the family who learns a new language to go to a foreign country to preach Christ.  I am a group of teenagers helping a neighbor.  I am 50 people meeting in a steelworker’s building.  1 am 250 people constructing a new church-building.  I am 450 people stepping out in faith to buy land with the dream of reaching their community with the gospel of Christ Jesus.

 

    I am a clerk in a supermarket, a nurse in the ER, out on the highway directing traffic, a teacher in the public schools, a lawyer, a judge, a steelworker, many things.  But I am a pilgrim journeying on my way to Heaven.  [Hebrews 11:13.]

 

    I am the church - the Body of Christ founded upon the Rock which is Jesus The Truth.  I am being renewed every day even as my outward body is perishing.  My light and momentary troubles are achieving an eternal glory that outweighs them all.  I keep my eyes on the unseen, not on the visible.  This world is temporary, but our God is Eternal.  [Col. 3:10.]

 

    I am all those called together from the world.  I am Jew, Greek, man, woman, slave, freeman, from every nation in the world, and I speak a babble of languages.  Yet I am One in Christ.  I am all of us who have been baptized into the One Body by the same Holy Spirit.  [1 Cor. 12:13]

 

    I am a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a unique and distinct group of people faithfully following Jesus the Master.  I am blood-bought, baptized, Spirit-filled, cross-carrying, message-proclaiming, hope-giving, regenerated and renewed people-of-God.  [1 Peter 2:9-10.]

 
                May I remain faithful until He Comes Again.  Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess: Jesus Is Lord!  To Him be the honor and glory and power both now and forevermore!!!  I am the church.  [Rev. 19:1-10.]