Few of us would actually admit to believing this because, in our minds, we know
we are supposed to believe that God does love us. But for many women, there is a
disconnection between what they know intellectually and what they feel to be
true. And therein lies one of our problems: We trust what we feel to be true,
rather than what we know to be true (p. 50).
She's so right. So, I was just spending some time filling my mind with Truth to counter the lies that my feelings tell me. Here's some of that Truth and, boy, is it enough to get ya goin'!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. (Eph. 1:3-6 NASB)
Wow! As DeMoss puts it, "I don't have to perform to earn God's love or favor" (p. 59). He lovingly chose me out of the goodness of His own will. He freely bestowed His grace on me in Christ. My favor with Him is on the basis of Christ’s finished work on the Cross, not on the basis of anything I have done or could ever do! Praise God for His love!
2 comments:
I think there is often a fear to emphasize God's unconditional love lest one should continue in sin that love may abound.
We tend to think that people (including ourselves--even men!) will be more constrained by guilt than by love.
Yet I believe that when Paul said "For the love of Christ constraineth us" (2 Cor. 5:14) he was speaking of Christ's unconditional love for us, not our love for Christ.
It is not guilt, but Christ's unconditional love for us that, when properly understood, is the true constrainer.
Thanks, Tim, for bringing up 2 Cor. 5:14. I thought of that verse briefly today but didn't have time to continue the thoughts. Michael recently did a challenge from that verse at the Jr/Sr Banquet in Charlotte and emphasized that it is Christ's love for us that should motivate us to live for Him Who died for us! That fits into this whole picture of believing that God's love truly is unconditional and responding to that love with loving, faithful service to Him.
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