Philippians - Reading Slower and Deeper - Day 11 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. Therefore, all who are mature should think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you. In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained. (Philippians 3:12-16 HCSB) * This is such an important passage (especially for me)! What I can sometimes, even often, do is think back on the way I have lived as a Christian and majorly second (third, fourth, one hundredth, one thousandth) guess decisions I made which makes me feel condemned. In decisions I made in the gray areas of my Christian past, I ask, Was I just sinning all the times I (fill in the blank)?, and all the sudden the possibility that some things I did just about every single day as a Christian start piling up and its overwhelming to think about being forgiven for for so many things. Interestingly, I dont feel that way about things I did before I was a Christian because I know those things were wiped cleaned when I believed, repented, and was baptized (immersed in water) allowing the blood of Jesus to wipe away all my sins. Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood that establishes the covenant; it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:27-28 HCSB) “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah! ” When they heard this, they came under deep conviction and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Brothers, what must we do? ” “Repent,” Peter said to them, “and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:36-39 HCSB) * I believe that the fact that I feel guilty for the things I have done after becoming a Christian instead of for the things I did before I became a Christian shows that I have some inaccurate theology to work out in my heart. What I mean is the Bible says: For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment, Christ died for the ungodly. For rarely will someone die for a just person — though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath. For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life! And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have now received this reconciliation through Him. (Romans 5:6-11 HCSB) * ...which means that we are just as forgiven for our sins we commit while being Christians than we committed before we became Christians but what throws me off from being secure in that is: For if we deliberately sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire about to consume the adversaries. (Hebrews 10:26-27 HCSB) * and other passages like this...I start asking myself, What I deliberately sinning against God in those gray areas? * I do believe that I can get my theology straightened out to help me with this.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 12:25:17 +0000
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