He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
—Romans 8:31-32, NKJV
God never withholds His love from you. God didn’t withhold the life of His Son as payment for your sin. Why would He ever withhold anything good from you when He gave His Son so you could have a new and abundant life (John 10:10)?
It is hard to draw near to a Father when you aren’t certain if He loves you. If you believe God takes away or harms you for an unknown purpose or for a greater good, you doubt the right-standing Jesus died to give you. You doubt how God thinks of you, and you don’t have freedom in your relationship with Him. Trust is very difficult, and fear springs up destroying any intimacy you might have.
God is love (1 John 4:8) He does not harm you. He never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). God does nothing to make you question His love. That is the enemy trying to steal, kill, and destroy the trust you have in your relationship with God (John 10:10). If the enemy can convince you that God will harm you for a greater good, then you will believe a lie that will keep you in perpetual bondage. Any peace you have will only be found when circumstances improve instead of being found in the intimacy of your relationship with God.
The true nature of God is unconditional love. Before Christ died for mankind, God’s love was conditional. His love remained conditional upon our actions until we believed by faith that Jesus was the Son and God. When you believed in your heart that Jesus met the condition of payment for your sins with God, God’s love was no longer conditional upon your actions. Your Savior came to live in your heart. Where once your sin had condemned you, Jesus imputed to you His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Your flesh no longer has the right to claim you. Jesus has claimed you for God. The Holy Spirit convicts you with the righteousness you received (John 16:18-11) so that you believe His righteousness is yours. When you have faith in who Christ is in you instead of the old person you once were, you know you have His power to defeat the flesh which always comes against you. You choose to exercise it.
If God did not spare His own Son out of love for you, why would He use harm to win your love? Why wouldn’t He give you what you need to encourage you and build your trust?
Why are some Christians afraid of God? They have been told they must work to earn His love and approval. They have been told they will receive from God if they prove themselves to Him. You didn’t receive Christ in your heart by anything you did. You don’t receive anything from Him by what you do. To have an intimate relationship with your Heavenly Father, you have to believe in your heart that Jesus’ love for you on the cross was enough and that there is nothing more you have to do to be loved accepted by God (Ephesians 1:6). To live in intimacy with God, we continually, “draw near (to Him) with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22, NKJV).
When you believe in your heart that you have been completely washed clean in the blood of His sacrifice—when you believe in your heart that you have received the righteousness of God because of Christ’s sacrifice, you are delivered from a conscience that condemns you. You experience freedom in your relationship with God. You have peace in His love.
God sees His Son when He sees you. He loves you because He loves His Son. He is pleased with you because He is pleased with His Son. What you have with God is not a religion. It is not a list of works to perform to win His love. You have a relationship with God, and He wants you to know Him as He knows you.
Learn how God sees His Son when He sees you. Realize what it means that you are blameless because of Christ’s sacrifice. When you know who you are in Christ, you believe in your heart His forgiveness is enough. Your sins have been completely punished in the body of Christ on the cross (1 Peter 2:24, Galatians 3:13). Your sinful nature has been crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6). It is no longer you who live in your flesh but Christ who lives in you. You are free of condemnation by the faith you have received in Christ (Galatians 2:20.) You draw near to God with full assurance of faith. You come boldly into His presence to receive mercy in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16).
You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21). Christ Jesus has given you the power to live a righteous and holy life. When you are free of an evil conscience that condemns you (1 John 3:19-21), you live in the fullness of His grace. You believe His Grace was sufficient for your sins, your sickness, and your need (2 Corinthians 12:9). Christ has won God’s love for you. There is nothing more to be done. You are free of condemnation, guilt, and shame.
The devil is your accuser. He is the one that terrorizes your life. The devil has no power over the righteousness of Christ in you. Be continually renewed in your mind by God’s truth and love for you. Continually put on the new nature Christ has given you—the righteous nature He gave to you with His life (Ephesians 4:23-24).
Walk by faith and live in free intimacy with God. Jesus has already paid your price.
© 2023 Lynn Lacher
www.lynnlacher.com/2023/03/intimacy-with-god.html
No comments:
Post a Comment