Yesterday I finished up the blog by focusing on those important truths that transform our lives at salvation. I said, “In the instant that the salvation that Christ bought for me by His blood was completed I was instantly brought into the Light, adopted, redeemed, sanctified, justified, and guaranteed that I will be one day glorified.”
I was speaking truth against the poor theology that says “God is displeased with me.” It is so important that you grasp that God’s pleasure rests upon you constantly because of your union with Christ. Since Christ is the only reason for God’s pleasure resting upon you in the first place, what do you think you can add to gain more of God’s pleasure than what He has already done? Is Christ sufficient? If your works were not enough to gain you favor with God before, why do you think they will gain you favor with Him now?
Logic follows that since God is pleased with me only because of Christ, what (if anything) can I do to make Him displeased with me? I maintain that while there are plenty of things I do that God is displeased with, He is no longer ever displeased with me.
Does this mean that God condones my sin? No. Does it mean that sin doesn’t matter to God? NO! Does believing this mean I can sin with wanton abandon and abuse the grace of God? As Paul said in Romans 6:1, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? Certainly not!”
What I am saying is that it is still all of Christ and nothing else! In Him my strivings for acceptance by God cease, my works righteousness ceases; it all comes to a screeching halt because when God looks upon the believer all He sees is Jesus Christ, His Beloved Righteous and Perfect Son. We are clothed in His righteousness (Romans 5:19) and God has graciously declared the work “finished!” (John 19:30)
Some may wonder, “Well, if all is forgiven and nothing is counted against me can’t I just live however I please?” The answer to that is an emphatic “NO!” I want to be clear when I say that a person who is saved by grace and in indwelt by the Holy Spirit will not carelessly sin or live as they please thinking that God’s grace will take care of them. There will be no desire to live that way! Our desires will be conformed to His desires and more and more we will want to do what is right- because it glorifies Him!
Once we realize the cost of the grace extended to us, and the generous sacrifice made on our behalf how could we possibly choose to abuse it? Each day becomes a “Thank You” to God as we desire to bring Him glory as a response to what He has done for us.
It truly is in Christ alone my friends. Rejoice in this truth, stop striving, stop fearing, and stop trying to earn God’s favor. He loves you ~ always.