Because Christ was and is perfect in every way - and credits or assigns his perfect "track record" or status and relationship with the Father to us - God's love and embrace of us is perfect in every way. He loves us in the same way He loves the Son of His eternal affection; as if we were faithful to him exactly the same way Christ was, when we are (and were) not.
This indeed is good news because we are not required to achieve this status through our efforts and can not mess it up by the lack of effort either! Hard to believe, but true.
If we truly believe this good news (gospel) - i.e. that God is now totally for us, and no longer against us (even in our current imperfect state) - the more we see it, the more it will galvanize us in the face of adversity and empower us to become unstoppable for God. If we are not unstoppable for God we have not yet fully grasped the good news of his relentless and boundless love immovably fixed upon us. The more we grasp this good news the more unstoppable we become.
This gospel isn't simply about entering the Kingdom of God but living and walking in it, i.e. being empowered by God's love to live for Him today and every day!! This is fully and freely extended to us because of Christ's efforts alone.
The 2 key elements needed for this to occur...
1. The good news (gospel) itself - God's part, i.e. he has already fully taken care of this.
The first element - the good news - is accomplished only by God in and through Christ and is complete. Nothing can be added to it or taken away from it. It is what God did (and does) through Christ and has nothing to do with our efforts, good behavior (or bad for that matter). It is 100% legally ours but ours practically (i.e. experientially) on a day-to-day basis, to the extent we receive and believe it.
The second element - our faith (trust) in this good news - is our "work" or our part in our relationship with God.
The effect this good news has on our day-to-day actions and conduct is small if our grasp (belief) of it is small and great if it is great.
So how do we increase our faith or remedy our unbelief?
God must first reveal to us the desperateness of our condition without Christ, i.e. how short we come in recognizing the goodness and love of God. Until we see our need for this good news (that there is no hope of being received by God without Christ) we will not desire or seek it. The more we see our desperation, the greater the impact this good news has on us and the more it changes us.
And what is the condition or state we must enter into for God to reveal Himself to us most?
Humility, i.e. recognizing our desperate need of God.
*Humility is key to seeing God.
*Seeing God is key to great faith.
*Great faith is key to great pursuit of God.
God's strength manifests itself in us most the more we acknowledge our weakness. The essence of the gospel practically is strength in and through weakness.
This is bad news before it is good news.
How do we not change?
If we change ("obey") because we we think we must to be accepted by God - i.e. because of external pressure or reasons - it never lasts. True and lasting change only occurs because we want to change, i.e. it comes from self-imposed internal "pressure" i.e. motivation. A genuine desire to change.
1. The good news (gospel) itself - God's part, i.e. he has already fully taken care of this.
and
2. The extent to which we believe (fully grasp) this good news - which is our part, ongoing and always increasing if we are truly His child.
2. The extent to which we believe (fully grasp) this good news - which is our part, ongoing and always increasing if we are truly His child.
The first element - the good news - is accomplished only by God in and through Christ and is complete. Nothing can be added to it or taken away from it. It is what God did (and does) through Christ and has nothing to do with our efforts, good behavior (or bad for that matter). It is 100% legally ours but ours practically (i.e. experientially) on a day-to-day basis, to the extent we receive and believe it.
The second element - our faith (trust) in this good news - is our "work" or our part in our relationship with God.
It is work in the sense it requires us to humble ourselves and take up our cross daily. This is not easy and is ongoing until we go to be with Him eternally. It is the key to the maturing process, i.e. our spiritual formation (sometimes referred to as sanctification).
As our trust in God and His perfect and infinite love (extended to us freely by grace) increases, our living for God's honor increases, i.e. the good news increasingly manifests itself through our words and actions as our trust in Him grows.
The effect this good news has on our day-to-day actions and conduct is small if our grasp (belief) of it is small and great if it is great.
So how do we increase our faith or remedy our unbelief?
God must first reveal to us the desperateness of our condition without Christ, i.e. how short we come in recognizing the goodness and love of God. Until we see our need for this good news (that there is no hope of being received by God without Christ) we will not desire or seek it. The more we see our desperation, the greater the impact this good news has on us and the more it changes us.
But God must also reveal himself to us in all his beauty and glory. The more of his beauty we see the greater our desire for him grows. The greater our desire, the greater our pursuit.
As God reveals to us both our desperate need and His glorious beauty, our faith ¹grows. Our faith in God is only as good as our view of God (and ourselves) is clear and accurate.
And what is the condition or state we must enter into for God to reveal Himself to us most?
Humility, i.e. recognizing our desperate need of God.
*Humility is key to seeing God.
*Seeing God is key to great faith.
*Great faith is key to great pursuit of God.
God's strength manifests itself in us most the more we acknowledge our weakness. The essence of the gospel practically is strength in and through weakness.
This is bad news before it is good news.
How do we not change?
If we change ("obey") because we we think we must to be accepted by God - i.e. because of external pressure or reasons - it never lasts. True and lasting change only occurs because we want to change, i.e. it comes from self-imposed internal "pressure" i.e. motivation. A genuine desire to change.
"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." - Phil 2:12-13.
Change that comes about from external pressure is not true change, but merely external conformity, which results in self-righteousness, not humility. This is the essence of legalism which unfortunately is common within the Christian community.
For a discussion on:
How we are inclined to try and earn God's love click here.
The difference between "Cultural Christians" and grace-driven followers of Christ, click here.
The essence of God's Kingdom click here.
How God's love is conditional and unconditional click here.
Should our focus be on morality or Jesus? click here.
What is righteousness click here
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¹to the extent our trust in ourselves diminishes and our trust in him increases, we change.
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Grace to you
Jim Deal