To a Grace-Full 2014! Part 2
“The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp.” – Zephaniah 3:15-16
If God through Christ has taken away your punishment at some point you have to ask – does He after taking it away decide to give it back to us?
If God says “Do Not Fear” at some point you have to ask yourself – is being afraid arrogance of man or ignorance of Faith?
I am Not saying I have all the answers – LOL not by a long shot – I have said before and I will state it again emphatically that there are only 15 words I know for sure – God Is Love, God Radically Loves me, God Radically Loves you, His Grace is sufficient! Everything else I take on Faith!
Do I believe Jesus died for us? OH YES!! That is a matter of Faith that I believe that! Because I believe that – I DO NOT FEAR!
Do I believe God took away our punishment? OH YES!! That is a matter of Faith as well as I grow in Radical Trust and awareness of His Gift He Freely gave through Jesus Christ!
Most Christians and in fact almost all who claim one denomination or another have certain scriptures that they use to support the rules and laws they follow and to justify the ones they dont – but that isn’t looking at the Bible as a whole picture – that is an edited text meant to support a group for mutual support and religious satisfaction – and it is dangerous!
Time and again the Bible says that those who “fear” the Lord have nothing to “fear” – is this a contradiction?
The law is our guardian or tutor Until Christ:
“So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.” – Galatians 3:24-25
Before I accepted Christ I had condemnation, guilt and shame and Yes Fear of God!
After I accepted Him, my enemy was turned back, my Fear turned to respect and admiration as the more I grew in Grace the more the law passed away and the greater my Gratitude became an overwhelming part of a relationship based of Love NOT law!
Thanks Bob. As I read your comments, God is giving me understanding that many in the churches don’t have: that Christ forms in us over time. Galatians 4:19 “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.”
Thank you! That is a great point! Paul talked about the milk and the meat – the milk was those for whom they were still sucking up to law and thinking that made them closer to God – I have seen His Love and Grace grow in me and other over time. When I think back to the night I first heard about His Grace – wow! Praise God it has been a rocky road at times but that road has worked to chip off the barnacles on this ship that was stuck in the port of legalism for far too long.
Thank you again for your comment and wisdom!
Yes I need to remember that there is a process involved in accepting Christ, not a one-off event. This fact is obscured by the language used in the Bible.
That’s a great point – maybe its both?
I mean there is the one off event that produces security but there is also a growth in Love, Peace and Joy!
Thanx very much am now starting to fully understand grace.
Amen Brother! That is Great to hear Praise God!