By Michele Rayburn
There are three things that have revolutionized my Christian life and walk: God’s unconditional love, God’s total forgiveness, and a Christ-centered life.
1. God’s Unconditional Love
“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
This one thing alone revolutionized my Christian walk…knowing that God loves me no matter what. I do not feel insecure in His love for me. I am not afraid that He will stop loving me. And because I believe that I am secure in His love for me, His love compels me to keep pressing on, and I am better able to experience the blessings that come with it, namely the fruit of the Spirit…the love, joy, peace.
2. God’s Total Forgiveness
When we understand God’s total forgiveness, then we will be set free to receive His love. I think it would be almost impossible to receive God’s love if we do not believe that we are totally forgiven of past, present and future sins.
The Lord said that He will “remember our sins no more”. He paid for our sins. He is not looking to condemn us over and over again when we sin for “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 8:1). And “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)
Our sins are not just temporarily covered, but we have been permanently redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. He will not hold our sins against us. So we should walk in the joy of His forgiveness.
3. A Christ-Centered Life
We need to realize our new standing in Christ, that we are new creations, righteous, holy, Saints, “no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Gal. 4:7; see also Romans 6:6-23).
2 Corinthians 5:17, 21 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new….For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
When we “fix our eyes on Jesus” rather than on our sin, when we reckon ourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord, sin will not reign in our mortal bodies (Romans 6:11-12).
A Christ-centered life, rather than a sin-centered life has given me the spiritual strength that I need to live for Christ.
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7 comments:
Terry,
I came here from Pyro. Really liked your comment on how we sometimes instinctively act contrary to our personal theology. I have noticed that. Maybe that is a reason for not arguing doctrine too strongly. I would hate for a person to doubt his biblical actions because I convinced him that he was not being consistent with his expounded doctrine.
Michele,
You wrote "When we fix our eyes on Jesus rather than on our sin..."
When I fret over my sin/troubles and feel like I’m sinking into the deep, I think of Peter sinking into the water when he took his eyes off Jesus. Things look so much better when I'm looking at Jesus and not at myself.
Thanks for the insights. I'm going to look around at your archives if you don't mind.
Hi dec,
Thanks so much for the kind words. Don't mind at all if you take a look around :)
Blessings,
Terry (and Michele)
A very edifying post. Thank you sister.
Dear Michele,
It was just recently that I first visited Terry's site and read some of your writings. I love it. They're simple and encouraging. It complete's Terry's. Please keep writing more =)
Very encouraged by this post. Thanks, Terry and Michelle. Just last night I was thinking about how we don't have to "try" to be dead to sin and alive to God, once Christ lives in us, this is just reality, truth. We can focus on Him, and not our behavior. Appreciate you! God bless you!
Thank you Vicki. Appreciate your insightful comment as well. So glad you found this post a blessing.
In His Love,
Michele
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