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With grateful hearts, we share our thoughts on redemption through Jesus Christ and His saving blood and what it looks like in our daily walk.

We gladly welcome your comments and input.
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AND since we hold our conservative values dear, we might have a thing or two to say about politics... and we can almost guarantee it won't be politically correct.



Friday, September 28, 2007

As Jesus Is, So Are We

Today I will be picking up from my post on September 7. I was trying to share with you that Christianity is not about us. It’s about Jesus. Hence, the first five letters of Christianity. Sometimes we hear messages in church that make us think it is “me”-anity or Scottanity. But Jesus is the center of Christianity.

So what’s the greatest news I’ve ever heard? It comes from 1 John 4:17. It reads, “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." I have to confess that I was taught this scripture from a miracle mindset. The person that I learned from used this scripture often, and he said, "As Jesus is, so are we." Then he pointed out all of the works that Jesus did: healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons…. He said that if Jesus could do those things, so could we.

Sounded good to me! After all, John 14:12 says that we will do even greater works than Jesus did because He is going to His Father. So I bought into that interpretation of 1 John 4:17 hook, line and sinker. And I still believe it today. The Bible tells us that Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost and went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil for God was with Him. Well, God says that we are anointed with the same Holy Ghost. God also says that He is with us always.

The only problem with this point of view is that 1 John 4:17 does not read “As he does, so will we do.” It says as Jesus IS, so ARE we in this world. This verse isn’t talking about the actions or good works of Jesus. This verse is talking about the being of Jesus. As Jesus is, so are we.

How is Jesus right now? What kind of relationship does He have with the Father? Is He acceptable in God’s sight? As Jesus is, so are we.

One of the tools the enemy uses against us is to get us to focus on ourselves. Satan is called "the accuser of the brethren," and, boy, is he good at accusing! He will get our attention on what we have done wrong lately or how undeserving we are of God’s love and favor. His motive is to get us to think that we have to earn or merit God’s love. If we haven’t been performing up to par, then we think God is far from us and has withdrawn Himself. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Is Jesus far from God? No, He is seated at His right Hand. Hallelujah! Is Jesus in Heaven working His fingers to the bone to get His Father’s approval? No! As a matter of fact, God looked down from Heaven at His Son’s baptism and declared, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Do you know how many miracles Jesus had performed up to that time? Zero. God wanted us to know that His love isn’t based upon performance.

When my son was born, he did nothing but start breathing and suddenly my heart leaped with a joy I hadn’t known before. How much MORE does God love us...even in spite of our performance!

Let 1 John 4:17 sink down into your spirit (heart). Don’t let the devil focus your attention on yourself. Think about Jesus and His relationship with the Father. Everything He has is yours right now.

Think about this: Jesus didn't merely carry the sins of the world on the Cross. No, Jesus actually became sin that we might be made the righteousness of God. Jesus died a horrible death on the Cross and descended into hell, but His blood was so holy and so powerful that it cleansed Him of the sin He had become. Jesus' blood was so holy and so powerful that it made Jesus clean enough to be resurrected into the very Presence of God in Heaven. What makes us think that our little ole’ sin can keep the Presence of God from our life?

I want you to know that you are blessed today. Jesus was forsaken that you might be accepted. He was bruised that you might be healed. He became sin so that you could become righteous. Everything that Jesus is to God---YOU are to God...because as He is, so are we in this world.

4 comments:

Jane said...

Reminds me of a fairly new David Crowder song, "Everything Glorious". My favorite line in the song is "You make everything glorious, And I am Yours, So what does that make me?" The good news is that it doesn't end there. Everything that Jesus is, we are, because we are His.

Meems said...

Jane: I LOVE that song!
I am His - He is mine!

Scott- thanks for the great post and the reminder of "who" we are in Jesus and how we only need to keep our hearts focused on Him for our worth and approval... He APPROVES! I'm thanking Him today for His unfailing love.

mlm said...

Scott: What a great post. It was definitely worth waiting since 9/7 to read that!!! Thanks for sharing the good news and for reminding me that my religion isn't called "mlmianity"!

I especially loved this part: "How is Jesus right now? Is Jesus in Heaven working His fingers to the bone to get His Father’s approval? What kind of relationship does He have with the Father? Is He acceptable in God’s sight? As Jesus is, so are we."

Jane/Meems: Okay, now I'm curious and will have to go find out more about this song you are raving about!

Jane said...

I found a video so I will upload it on my blog