WELCOME
"Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ.." 2 Corinthians 5:18
RECONCILING FAITH
We all have an opportunity to know Christ and to have a personal relationship with Him, a relationship that stems from a genuine love and trust in Him, not from fear.
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out
fear: because fear has torment."
1 John 4:18
I've heard this scripture taken out of context many times. If you read the verses preceding it, it's clear it is referring to the fear of "the day of judgment."
"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. " 1 John 4:16
"Herein is our
love made perfect
that we may have
boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this
world"
1 John 4:17
"There is no fear in love but perfect love casts out fear because fear hath
torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love."
1
John 4:18
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus..For the law of the Spirit in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:1-2
God reached out to us in His love, reconciling us unto Himself, and He wants our response to Him to be from a heart of love -- with faith that expresses itself through love.
"God came into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." John 3:17
"For God
so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting
life." John 3:16
FAITH WORKETH BY LOVE
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love." Galatians 5:6
Jesus called the Pharisees "white-washed" tombs full of dead men's bones--essentially clean on the outside but dead on the inside!
The Pharisees tried to keep the law religiously and complained when Jesus healed on the Sabbath and when the disciples plucked corn on the Sabbath, which both were unlawful.
Jesus called them hypocrites! They were willing to keep the law with no regard to human need. They applied the law without love and compassion. Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath because he had compassion on him, and the disciples plucked corn on the Sabbath because they were hungry.
Jesus told the Pharisees, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice, "But if you had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless." Matthew 12:7
We are reconciled to God because of His mercy and grace, because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ, not because of any of our sacrifices.
"And he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Corinthians 5:21
The law brought sin and death; God's grace brings mercy and life.
True spirituality comes from what we allow God to do in us and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit operating in our lives. A relationship with Christ means that you know God in a very personal way -- a familiar way -- as your Lord and Savior, as your protector, as your comforter, and as your friend.
Do you have a "relationship" with God?
