poopemerges
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06:22:06 pm on May 20, 2008 | # |
Oh to Grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be…
I have a very unreformed confession: I have alway had issues with grace. I know it is awful. My only defense is this, I have no problem with God’s grace for you. I believe with all my heart that no matter what you have done or will do, that God at the Cross, made atonement and his blood covers you. My problem with grace is me. You see I have to live with me everyday, and the more time I spend with me the less I am able to put my full faith in God’s grace. I am there at every stupid sin, every angry comment, every impure thought. The more time I spend with me, the more I become convinced that there is no way God could like me. And when I start to feel this way I start to pull away from God and become sullen…or I work harder and try and measure up. I fully confess this. At the same time I fully reject it.
I can’t measure up, and If I truly know Jesus I can not pull away. I am so happy that the Bible says:
Romans 8:29: For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
I may struggle with grace but I have no issues with sovereignty. And if God is in charge then his will is perfect. All that he says, will be, will be. I will be conformed to the image of his son. Oh man that is beautiful.
I am also glad it says this:
Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship [c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
There is much there, but the part that really speaks to me is this: God chose me before the foundation of the world. He did not just chose me at the day of my Salvation and save me from the sins I had committed so far. But God in his wisdom and foreknowledge, before the world even was, chose me! If this is true it means that the all knowing God saw all of history and every sin I would ever commit and chose me anyway! Wow.
The other great part is why he chose me. For his own glory, pleasure and will. If God wants me what kind of arrogance is it if i claim my sins are too great? Are my sins bigger than the Cross? Are my sins greater than his love? Are my sins more powerful than his will? Never!
So yeah I have issues with Grace, but God is still working on me!
D
edikaiosen 6:47 pm on May 20, 2008 | #
Well said! Beautifully written. It’s honesty is touching. Thanks.
Madam 5:53 pm on June 2, 2008 | #
Madam says : I absolutely agree with this !